THREE MEN HAVE been arrested following the armed robbery of a post office earlier today.

At around 2.30pm this afternoon two men entered the premises in Athboy in Co Meath brandishing a sawn-off shotgun.

Met by a single female member of staff, the men got their hands on a sum of money before escaping in a car driven by a third male.

However, they did not make it far.

Local gardaí along with a unit from Kells responded to the incident and the car was found crashed a short distance away at Frayne Bog.

One of the alleged robbers was arrested at the scene while the other two attempted to flee. 

A pursuit then ensued, with local gardaí acting with the help of a helicopter support unit and the regional support unit.

After they were tracked down, a firearm (pending technical examination) was recovered along with a sum of money.

The three men, all aged in their 20s, are being held at garda stations in Kells and Trim under the Offences Against the State Act.

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