A POST office remains shut two weeks after a masked man armed with a hammer robbed the shop in broad daylight.

Higher Blackburn Road Post Office was targeted on Tuesday, July 16, when staff were terrorised during a "traumatic" raid.

The shutters at the premises in Astley Bridge remain firmly shut two weeks on.

Speculation has begun circulating on social media about the post office closing permanently.

A spokeswoman for the Post Office said that the site was only "temporarily closed", however they were unable to provide a date for opening.

Residents have instead been urged to use the Post Office services at nearby branches, including Halliwell Road and Castle Hill.

Faz Vasaya, who has been the postmaster at Halliwell Road for nine years, shared this message on Facebook: "We would love to welcome all at Halliwell Road Post Office. If you have any questions or I can help please don't hesitate to contact me."

The raid two weeks ago saw a male offender dressed in black, wearing a balaclava and brandishing a hammer, threaten staff and seize cash before fleeing the scene.

Police were called at 10am. At the time, there were no reports of injuries.

The Bolton News has contacted Greater Manchester Police for an update on their investigation.

A Post Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that there was a robbery at Higher Blackburn Road Post Office on July 16. Any robbery or attempted robbery is very traumatic for those involved and we will be supporting the police in their efforts to apprehend those responsible.

"We would urge anyone with information to contact the police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

“In the meantime, the branch is temporarily closed — we apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused and thank them for their understanding while we work to reopen the branch as soon as possible."

In 2008, more than 200 people signed a petition to save the Astley Bridge Post Office after it was earmarked for closure and became the subject of a consultation period.