BALACLAVA-CLAD robbers used baseball bats to smash a glass partition in a post office in front of a mother and her newborn baby.

Two robbers wearing dark balaclavas and white overalls ran into the post office in Bigfrith Lane, Cookham Dean, at around 10am on Monday morning, before smashing the glass partition.

They then made off with takings from the shop's till which contained an undisclosed sum of money before getting in a Peugeot getaway car that was later found burnt out about a mile away from the shop.

Brave Yvonne Thomas, 50, was working in the shop and standing behind the glass partition when the thugs began to smash it.

She said her first thoughts were for the terrified customers in the shop a mother with her newborn baby and an elderly lady.

She said: "I was really scared. I heard shouting first and thought they were arguing with each other. But the next thing I knew they were beating on the glass of the post office. When I saw what they were doing I pressed the panic button and was able to phone the police. I was serving a young lady with her baby and just thought there's a baby in the shop, I have to protect the baby'; I really did not want the baby to get hurt.

"When the glass shattered it started falling on the youngster. But luckily the lady grabbed her baby and left the shop."

She added: "They did not get anything from the post office but they ripped the till from the shop part of the counter and took all of the takings."

A neighbour, who does not want to be named, helped calm distressed customers.

He said: "It was very traumatic my stomach just sank. But you just have to do the best you can. I was trying to look after the mother and the elderly lady."

Both robbers are said to be around 5ft 8ins to 6ft tall, of medium build and in their early 20s.

The men are then believed to have got into a second car, possibly blue, which was seen making off at high speed in the direction of Switchback Road.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Witts, investigating, said: "We are keen to hear from anyone who may have been in the area around the time of this robbery, or who may have seen the two men in a car matching the description in the area, and help us to trace the offenders' movements after they left the burnt-out Peugeot."

Anyone who may have witnessed the robbery, or seen the two men leaving the premises, is asked to contact either Det Sgt Stephen Witts or Det Con Paul Mills at Maidenhead Police Station on 0845 8 505 505, or Crimestoppers anony-mously on 0800 555 111