An ex-Ipswich policeman became a have-a-go hero as he thwarted a raid on the post office he took on after leaving Suffolk Constabulary.David Raine, 38, shut a burglar in the cellar of his village shop in Redgrave, near Diss, after he spotted the man go down there on his in-store CCTV.

By James Fraser

An ex-Ipswich policeman became a have-a-go hero as he thwarted a raid on the post office he took on after leaving Suffolk Constabulary.

David Raine, 38, trapped a burglar in the cellar of his village shop in Redgrave, near Diss, after he spotted the man go down there on his in-store CCTV.

He wrestled with the intruder when the man managed to escape from his underground confinement before the would-be burglar made his escape empty-handed.

It is not the first time brave Mr Raine, who served in Ipswich, Stowmarket, Botesdale and Eye during his 13 years in the county's force, has been on the receiving end of violent crime.

The father-of-two was involved in a knife attack two years ago that brought an end to his police career.

Mr Raine described how two men entered his shop, Redgrave Stores, yesterday at around 4.45pm. One kept look out while another went down into the cellar, he said.

"I saw him disappear down there on the CCTV. The other one tried to stand in my way but I just pushed him aside and shut the door of the cellar. The bloke in there managed to pull it open and we had a bit of a bundle on the floor. He was a bit shocked. I don't think he expected a village postmaster to do that – but this one's an ex-copper."

Mr Raine said that the pair ran away "but didn't take anything". They drove off in a blue F-reg Sierra. The postmaster was left with cuts to his finger that he received as he tussled with the cellar door.

With his wife Shirley, Mr Raine took over the running of the village stores – which includes a sub post office – when he retired from Suffolk Constabulary on health grounds following the knife attack.

The burglar who went into the cellar is described as black man in his mid 20s, 6ft2ins tall, wearing dark clothes and baseball cap and had a goatie beard. The other man was white, in his mid 20s, 6ft tall and had gingery blond hair. He was wearing a navy blue, Nike polo shirt, blue jacket and jeans

The getaway car's registration number was F49 MWL.

Any witnesses should call Bury police on 01284 754 100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111