TWO members of an armed gang which robbed a Worcestershire post office of more than £3,000 are facing mandatory sentences of life imprisonment.

Philip Berry and Theo Steadman, along with a third accomplice, Damien Gordon, targeted the Blakedown premises near Kidderminster.

A jury convicted the Birmingham trio of robbery and possession of a firearm while committing an offence after a five-day trial at Worcester Crown Court.

Prosecutor Rachel Brand said Berry and Steadman faced life because of previous convictions involving serious violence.

Berry, aged 24, of Constitution Hill, Hockley, had served a five-year sentence for a £100 street robbery in 1996 when he held up the victim with a toy gun.

Steadman, also aged 24, of Heathy Rise, Woodgate Valley, had a previous conviction for wounding with intent in 1994.

The men's convictions are to be checked before they are sentenced at a date to be fixed.

The trio were suspected of other robberies in the West Midlands at the time and police set up Operation Deploy to investigate them.

Other raids included a store in Sutton Road, Kidderminster, a post office in Blackwell, Bromsgrove, and Aston University, but the trio were not charged.

Detective Inspector Adrian Todd, of Kidderminster Police, said the Blakedown robbery on Wednesday, January 17, last year, was an extremely frightening experience for the post office staff.

"These men are clearly dangerous people and it's satisfying that they have now been brought to justice," he added.

"This outcome sends a very clear message to travelling criminals who are prepared to target premises such as rural post offices."

He revealed that Berry was arrested after the case was highlighted on the BBC's Crimewatch programme.

The jury heard that Steadman and Gordon, aged 21, of Hindlow Close, Nechells, were masked when they entered the post office. One of them drew a knife across postmaster Michael Cowling's hand. A gun was held to the head of Mr Cowling's daughter, Helen.

They escaped with £3,211 from the till and got away in a stolen Audi 80 driven by Berry.

But, within an hour, the trio bought identical leather jackets with the proceeds from a shop by Berry's home and the owner identified him.

Steadman, who has also pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, was arrested after a gun was found in a car he used, which was identical to the weapon used at Blakedown.

Gordon's fingerprint was on black tape used to doctor the Audi's numberplate.

Miss Brand said Berry committed his first robbery at the age of 13 and had a string of previous convictions included kidnap, burglary and assault.

Gordon had three robberies on his record but they did not trigger the life term because no weapons were involved.

Steadman had served sentences totalling eight years for five previous robberies. Judge Michael Mott remanded the men in custody.