A CROWDFUNDING campaign has been set up to help Post Office workers — after raiders blew up a cash machine and escaped with thousands of pounds.

The explosion targeted the cash machine in the front wall of Bradshaw Post Office in Lea Gate, Harwood, in the early hours of Friday.

Customer Matthew Jones, who runs The Purple Property Shop in Blackburn Road, Astley Bridge, has now started a campaign on JustGiving.com.

It aims to raise £1,000 for office manager Musa Patel and sub-postmaster Fayaz Patel in the wake of the raid.

Mr Jones said: "I don't live in Harwood anymore as I moved out about a year ago but we still buy most of our stamps from that Post Office because the customer service is so good.

"The gentleman who runs it, Musa, is absolutely lovely.

"He's extremely friendly and is always laughing and joking, and from reading other people's comments on Facebook, he goes out of his way to help people with pushchairs and with umbrellas when it's raining and wraps people's parcels for them instead of making them buy Sellotape and wrapping paper and helps people fill in forms.

"He goes over and above what is expected."

More than £200 has been raised by the appeal and Bradshaw Post Office is still closed on account of the damage.

Sub-postmaster Fayaz said: "It's very touching.

"We have had people come in with cards and flowers and customers saying: I want to help clean up the damage.

"Musa's the office manager and he's the one everyone knows.

"He's the one everyone loves and gets along with and he knows almost everyone by their first name."

Contributing to the sum, the Tomlinson family posted: "For the most friendly, helpful gentleman and his co-workers — may they take comfort from the support shown by local people."

Another donor, calling herself Princess Anna, wrote: "What a lovely man who works in this Post Office. What a shame that this has happened."