A FORMER policeman has been jailed for faking an armed robbery at a village post office and stealing over £26,000 from the safe.

Paul Ingham told officers masked men brandishing a handgun threatened him after raiding Post Office in Cockfield, near Bishop Auckland, as he locked up.

The 60-year-old former royal protection officer gave detectives a detailed description of the raid.

But a thorough police investigation revealed his lies and he was arrested and charged with theft and perverting the course of justice.