A bungling raider caught with a hand-written script detailing his plans for a post office robbery has been jailed for six years.

Glasgow-born Stephen Anderson tried to make a balaclava out of an old woollen hat but it covered only half of his face and his half-hearted attempt at a hold-up failed when a village postmaster recognised his gun as an air pistol.

Police stopped Anderson within minutes of the robbery at Oake, near Bridgwater, Somerset, and found an exercise book in which he had written down a crib sheet for his failed raid.

It read: ''9 am Hit three minutes. Lock door. Tie up. Back room. Safe. Till.''

He had told Exeter Crown Court HIT stood for Horse in Templecombe, Three minutes had been misread and meant three miles, Lock door, Safe, and Back room were reminders to secure his home in Ireland, and tie up referred to his dogs.

Anderson was also found with a hit list of 10 rural post offices and a note he had prepared to stick on the door during the raid which read: ''Due to unforeseen circumstances, the post office is closed until 10am.''

Stable lad Anderson, 30, of Scart, Farran Fore, County Kerry, who was born in Glasgow , denied robbery and possessing a firearm.

Judge Graham Neville told him: ''You made your way to Oake with a balaclava you had crudely adapted and all the indications you had in mind some pretty half baked scheme, but nonetheless a dangerous one, to rob this post office and possibly others.''

The judge commended sub-postmaster David Welch, who told Anderson, ''You must be joking'' when told to hand over the money.

Mr Michael Brabin, prosecuting, said Anderson carried out the raid while staying with a friend who lived in nearby Withypool.

During the raid, he had held his gun to the head of 53-year-old heart transplant patient Miss Brenda Lovell who was taking out cash when he went in. Mr Brabin said Miss Lovell had been so traumatised she had since moved from the village where she had lived all her life.

Mr Alan Large, defending, said Anderson was a talented horseman who had worked in racing stables in England and Ireland and who had dreamed of setting up his own stable, stud, and leisure centre in County Kerry.

He said: ''If he had just stayed with being a horseman and not been so ambitious in other aspects he might have done better in life.''

At the original trial last year, sub postmaster David Welch said the raid went wrong from the moment Anderson walked in through his front door.

Anderson was still pulling his balaclava across his face but it reached only to just below his eyes. Mr Welch said he realised straight away the gun was an air pistol.

Mr Welch chased Anderson down the road and took his registration number as he drove off at speed. A policewoman spotted the car within minutes and when it was stopped Anderson asked the police if they wanted to talk to him about the post office, although he later tried to deny any involvement.

The exercise book with his robbery master plan was found when police searched the bungalow where he had been staying with a friend nearby. It also contained his ambitious plans to start a stud farm in County Kerry.

Mr Brabin said Anderson had four convictions for minor offences of dishonesty which preceded his move to Ireland.

He said: ''When Anderson went into the post office, he put the gun to the neck of customer Miss Brenda Lovell, who was taking out money at the counter. Anderson asked for the money to be handed over but fortunately Mr Welch had the presence of mind to refuse.''