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| Reward over post office shooting | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A reward of £50,000 has been offered by the Post Office to catch the killers of a village sub-postmaster's son. | |
| Craig Hodson-Walker, 29, was shot in the chest and his father, Ken, 56, was shot in the leg during the raid at the store in Fairfield, Worcestershire. | Craig Hodson-Walker, 29, was shot in the chest and his father, Ken, 56, was shot in the leg during the raid at the store in Fairfield, Worcestershire. |
| Police believe three men went into Fairfield General Stores on Stourbridge Road with a handgun and sledgehammer while a fourth drove the getaway car. | |
| The mother of the dead man said he died protecting those he loved. | The mother of the dead man said he died protecting those he loved. |
| Judy Hodson-Walker, 56, paid tribute to his "incredible bravery" and described the killing as a "callous act". | |
| She said the family were "devastated at the death of our beautiful boy". | |
| She added: "We would like to thank people for their kind wishes and we ask that we are left alone to grieve in peace at this difficult time." | She added: "We would like to thank people for their kind wishes and we ask that we are left alone to grieve in peace at this difficult time." |
| Mr Hodson-Walker's fiancee, Lisa Bundy, described him as her soulmate and best friend, adding her future had been destroyed by the killing. | |
| Witnesses sought | Witnesses sought |
| Police believe three men went into the store with their faces covered and a fourth stayed with a silver Volkswagen Golf outside. | Police believe three men went into the store with their faces covered and a fourth stayed with a silver Volkswagen Golf outside. |
| One was about 6ft tall, white with a dark hooded top and tracksuit bottoms. The other two were shorter and also wearing dark clothing. | One was about 6ft tall, white with a dark hooded top and tracksuit bottoms. The other two were shorter and also wearing dark clothing. |
| Fairfield has been described as a quiet village | Fairfield has been described as a quiet village |
| They all had balaclavas or scarves covering their faces. The driver was a white man with a hooded top and a scarf which was pulled up over his face. | They all had balaclavas or scarves covering their faces. The driver was a white man with a hooded top and a scarf which was pulled up over his face. |
| The West Mercia force, which has launched a murder investigation, said about 100 detectives and other staff have been working on the case. | The West Mercia force, which has launched a murder investigation, said about 100 detectives and other staff have been working on the case. |
| Ken Hodson-Walker was in a stable condition in hospital following surgery on Friday. | Ken Hodson-Walker was in a stable condition in hospital following surgery on Friday. |
| A post-mortem examination on the body of Craig Hodson-Walker was due to take place on Sunday. | A post-mortem examination on the body of Craig Hodson-Walker was due to take place on Sunday. |
| 'Absolutely devastated' | 'Absolutely devastated' |
| Horace Lynton, 55, who runs The Swan pub in Fairfield with his wife Francine, said the family's business had been targeted before - more than a year ago as the family were upstairs in their home. | Horace Lynton, 55, who runs The Swan pub in Fairfield with his wife Francine, said the family's business had been targeted before - more than a year ago as the family were upstairs in their home. |
| He said Mr Hodson-Walker and his father confronted the robbers, who had broken in through the shop door. | He said Mr Hodson-Walker and his father confronted the robbers, who had broken in through the shop door. |
| They work their socks off and I think when you work as hard as that you do not want to give it all away to robbers Francine Lynton | They work their socks off and I think when you work as hard as that you do not want to give it all away to robbers Francine Lynton |
| Mr Lynton said: "The alarm went off and they came down to investigate and the father and son tackled whoever had broken in and they ran away." | Mr Lynton said: "The alarm went off and they came down to investigate and the father and son tackled whoever had broken in and they ran away." |
| Mrs Lynton, 53, added: "They work their socks off and I think when you work as hard as that you do not want to give it all away to robbers." | Mrs Lynton, 53, added: "They work their socks off and I think when you work as hard as that you do not want to give it all away to robbers." |
| Carol Edwards, who lives near the shop and knows the family, said: "They're very helpful, cheerful, happy, nice people and they tend to put themselves out, particularly for the older people - very patient and helpful. | Carol Edwards, who lives near the shop and knows the family, said: "They're very helpful, cheerful, happy, nice people and they tend to put themselves out, particularly for the older people - very patient and helpful. |
| "They must be absolutely devastated by what's happened." | "They must be absolutely devastated by what's happened." |
| A police spokesman said officers believed the Golf car may have been seen parked and unoccupied in Bournheath Road before the robbery. | A police spokesman said officers believed the Golf car may have been seen parked and unoccupied in Bournheath Road before the robbery. |
| The vehicle was found intact in the road a short time after the shooting. | The vehicle was found intact in the road a short time after the shooting. |
| Officers want to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area around the time of the raid at 0820 GMT on Friday. | Officers want to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area around the time of the raid at 0820 GMT on Friday. |
| 'Heartbreaking act' | 'Heartbreaking act' |
| A number of robberies have occurred in the Bromsgrove area over the past several months, police said. | A number of robberies have occurred in the Bromsgrove area over the past several months, police said. |
| Detectives are investigating whether the shooting is linked to three or four other robberies. | Detectives are investigating whether the shooting is linked to three or four other robberies. |
| A Post Office spokesman said: "We are shocked and appalled at this terrible attack against hard-working people serving the whole community and we are very concerned for the family and will be doing all we can to help them." | A Post Office spokesman said: "We are shocked and appalled at this terrible attack against hard-working people serving the whole community and we are very concerned for the family and will be doing all we can to help them." |
| George Thompson, general secretary for the National Federation of SubPostmasters, said it was a "heartbreaking act" and "absolutely outrageous". | George Thompson, general secretary for the National Federation of SubPostmasters, said it was a "heartbreaking act" and "absolutely outrageous". |
| He said: "People have destroyed the family with this despicable act and this is a hard-working family that just tried to get on, provide the good service for the local communty." | He said: "People have destroyed the family with this despicable act and this is a hard-working family that just tried to get on, provide the good service for the local communty." |
| Roger Hollingworth, from Bromsgrove District Council, said Fairfield was "such a quiet village" and it had "devastated the people there". | Roger Hollingworth, from Bromsgrove District Council, said Fairfield was "such a quiet village" and it had "devastated the people there". |