THE latest attack on a cash point in Moreton has woken people up to the fact they are not immune from violent robberies in the Cotswolds.

Police inquiries are still ongoing following the dramatic raid in the town in the early hours of Monday morning when brazen thieves rammed a digger into the side of Warner's Budgens convenience store just off the high street.

Firefighters and police were called following alarm calls just after 2am and discovered a yellow Caterpillar telescopic loader on fire outside the store. There was also a large hole in the side of the store and the cash machine was missing.

Gloucestershire Police are trying to establish whether the ram raid is linked to a recent cash machine robbery using similar tactics when West Mercia Police were called out following a theft in Malvern. Detectives are still hunting for the thieves who used a loader stolen from Madresfield the day before to smash a hole in the side of a wall outside Marks and Spencer on November 4.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in Moreton around the time of, or just prior to the robbery taking place to get in touch with them. In particular they are interested in speaking to anyone who may have seen a white van leaving the scene around this time or indeed seen the bright yellow Caterpillar loader being driven towards the high street.

Police have added that CCTV footage had been recovered but unfortunately the images are not clear and no evidence can be extracted from it.

Detective Constable Jon Newton said: “We are investigating all lines on enquiry at this time in order to keep an open mind on this offence, however we are not ruling out that it may be related to other similar offences that have taken place recently within the region. We do appeal for anyone who was in the area and may have seen something to contact the police."

Budgens store manager Jerry Tweney said he and police were at the store within 10 minutes of the alarm being raised but the thieves had got away by then.

He added it was a shock to everyone.

"There was no one here at the time and no one was hurt, but everyone is in shock that something could happen in such a quiet town with just 3.500 residents.There was a similar robbery about 18 months ago when Tesco was targeted in the high street, but that has been all. I've been here for nine years and it's taken me by surprise. I've worked for many stores in Birmingham and we didn't get anything like this. You don't expect this sort of robbery in the Cotswolds.

Mr Tweney said the damage had not affected the operating of the store and work was started immediately to repair the collapsed wall.

No details have been released detailing the amount of money the thieves got away with. The machine, operated by Cashzone, formerly Bank Machine, has still not been found.

A 38-year-old man from Evesham was arrested in Ledbury by West Mercia Police following the November 4 raid, and was released on bail.