A former council leader picked up a four foot drain rod to fend off a masked robber wielding a machete, a court heard yesterday.

Eric Turner arrived at his family-run sub-post office to find two masked men threatening his wife Enid, 56, and their daughter Angela, Smith, 35.

The court heard how the 71-year-old former leader of Derwentside District Council used the rod to push Thomas Michael Reay off the counter he had been standing on.

Reay and masked accomplice Robert Ingham, who was also armed with a knife, fled with £2,000.

The pair escaped in a stolen car, where Ingham's mask was found. Reay's finger print was found on a glass panel.

Yesterday Reay, 21, of Joan Street, Newcastle, was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of holding up the store in Hamsterley Colliery, Near Consett, County Durham, on January 2 last year. He had denied robbery.

Ingham, 28, of Derwent Crescent Estate, Hamsterley Colliery, was previously jailed for six-and-a-half years after admitting robbery.

Alec Burns, prosecuting, said Reay had also pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at a Newcastle jeweller's shop two days after the post office raid.

He said three masked men forced the door of Kopecky and Elliott in Collingwood Street as owner Richard Elliott was placing items in the window. One of them repeatedly beat him with a truncheon.

Mr Elliott managed to seize the truncheon and struck Reay on the head. He retaliated by punching Mr Elliott in the face.

The three fled empty-handed, but left the truncheon, which had Reay's blood on it. He was traced through DNA.

Mr Burns said Reay had an extensive criminal record, including two further robberies, one which involved violence against a taxi driver and had 416 days of unexpired license to serve from a previous sentence.

Shaun Routledge, for Reay, said his client was a "professional criminal" but was undertaking courses and work in prison.

Judge Peter Bowers jailed Reay for 12 years and ordered he serve one year of outstanding license consecutively.

He also placed Reay on an extended license period of five years on his release.