Post office murder latest: We've got your wife, calls masked gunman - VIDEO

Detectives said Diana Garbutt, 40, was found dead in the living quarters of the post office she ran with her husband Robin in the quiet North Yorkshire village of Melsonby.

Mr Garbutt, 44, has told officers how he was first alerted to the terrible events at his home when a masked man carrying a gun came into his shop yesterday morning and said "we've got your wife" before demanding cash from the safe.

After the raider left with a substantial amount of cash in a holdall, Mr Garbutt went upstairs where he found his wife dead.

At a press conference, North Yorkshire Police said Mrs Garbutt, died from severe head injuries but officers could give no further details about how this happened, apart from confirming she had not been shot.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Raw said Mr Garbutt had opened his shop at 4.30am and was confronted by a raider just after he opened up the post office part of the business at 8.30am.

Mr Raw said: "The man threatened Mr Garbutt, saying 'We've got your wife'.

"The male then made off with a significant amount of money, which he had placed in a black holdall."

The detective added: "He was carrying a firearm at his side."

Mr Raw confirmed his officers were called to the post office by the ambulance service at 8.38am.

"This would have been a fairly busy time in the village, with people travelling to work or school," Mr Raw said.

"We are appealing for anyone who may have seen a suspicious or unknown vehicle in the village, or saw one leave the village at that time, or if you saw a man dressed in dark clothing and wearing a mask to come forward."

The officer said: "This is a shocking crime, which has left Mr Garbutt distraught and the residents of Melsonby very shocked and saddened.

"Police are determined to bring Mrs Garbutt's killer to justice."

He added: "At this stage the only report in relation to the firearm is from Mr Garbutt when he reported the man carrying the firearm by his side."

The detective added: "Obviously Mr Garbutt is distraught in relation to what's happening.

"He has helped us from the start of the inquiry and provided us with information and we'll do everything we can to support him throughout this investigation."

People living and working around the post office said they did not notice anything unusual until an ambulance and then armed police arrived yesterday morning.

A school bus normally arrives in the village centre at about 8.30am and children and parents are often in the shop and the area outside at about this time.

Bill Nixon, who runs a garage opposite the post office, said the were around 40 children in the area of the shop at about 8.30am yesterday.

This morning, police were stopping cars and questioning drivers. Other officers were guarding the sealed off shop and searching bins and areas around the village.

Around 40 bouquets of flowers had been laid outside the store which is called The Village Shop and Post Office and is at the centre of Melsonby.

Residents said the Garbutts moved to Melsonby about seven years ago from the York area and have been married for about the same time. They do not have children.

Mrs Garbutt is thought to have had a military background.

The store was targeted by armed robbers in March last year, when two men, one armed with what appeared to be a handgun, threatened staff and made off with stamps and a large amount of cash.

People in the village said the couple considered leaving the village after the raid and put the business up for sale but, it appears, they had recently decided to stay.

Mr Raw said today: "Obviously there are similarities with the crime that we are investigating at the moment and that is a line of inquiry that will be progressed

"There was an extensive investigation done at the time, an imitation firearm was recovered but, in respect of that offence, nobody was arrested."

Members of the close-knit community continued to talk of their shock today.

Linda Sharp, who worked part-time in the shop, said: "She was lovely woman, a really lovely woman. That's all I can say."

When asked how she thought Mr Garbutt would cope with his wife's death, she said: "He'll just be absolutely devastated.

"I don't think he'll come back to the shop. I don't think he'll be able to."

And asked whether villagers thought there was a connection with last year's armed raid, Ms Sharp said: "That's what you think, don't you?"

She added: "It's just awful, awful, awful."

Police are looking for a suspect who is 5ft 11in to 6ft tall, was wearing a black, tight-fitting mask, a dark blue, long-sleeved T-shirt and dark blue-black coloured jeans.

They said they could not rule out there being more than one raider.