POLICE have issued an urgent appeal for witnesses after a dramatic ram-raid on a shop in Farnham in the early hours of this morning (Monday).

A cash machine was taken after raiders smashed into the Tesco Express store on Ridgway Road with a JCB Telehandler around 1.30am.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: “We were called to Ridgway Road, Farnham, following a report of a forklift vehicle being driven into Tesco Express in order to steal a cash machine.

“Enquiries remain ongoing and anyone with any information should contact officers by calling 101, or use report.police.uk and quote the reference number PR/45180072788.”

The JCB Telehandler, used to ram the ATM, remains outside the store, which is currently cordoned off.

Forensics are at the scene and the shop remains closed. It isn't known at this time how much cash the attackers escaped with.

A resident of Edward Road, who wishes to remain anonymous, was woken by the noise of the smash-and-grab attack around 1.30am and immediately alerted the police.

The eyewitness said that the police were at the scene within minutes, but officers “just missed” the raiders who left the scene by “roaring down” Edward Road.

The attack on the Ridgway Road store comes just three weeks after a similar raid at Tesco in Bordon.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We are supporting the police with their investigations following last night’s incident at our Ridgway Express store. We are working to reopen the store as soon as possible.”

Updates to follow....