THIS gaping chasm was left in the wall of a bank after a determined gang of thieves used a forklift truck to plunder a cash machine packed with about £100,000.

A team of engineers was drafted in to make safe the yawning 10ft by 9ft hole left in the front of the building in a quiet market town in Devon.

The National Westminster Bank in Bridge Street, Hatherleigh, near Okehampton, was targeted in a daring early morning raid.

Although local residents insist the town is quiet, the attack was the second on cash machines in the street in just five months.

In the latest incident, masses of debris was left scattered over the road.

The scene on Bridge Street in Hatherleigh on Saturday

The gang, disguised as workmen, ploughed into the building at around 3.15am on Saturday, shattering the wall and causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Police said they had been advised by the bank that about £100,000 was stolen.

The crooks used a stolen red forklift truck to smash into the bank before fleeing the scene in a 4x4 vehicle with the cash machine.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "At the moment, we are not directly linking Saturday's attack with the earlier incident five months ago. But as part of the investigation, we would not rule it out.

"We are obviously at a very early stage."

He added: "In the latest incident, we believe there were possibly three men involved who were dressed in reflective clothing and they may have been wearing hard hats.

"There were bits of the cash machine and masonry left all over the place – it was a right mess.

"Bank staff are still trying to work out exactly how much cash was taken."

Jennifer Long, barmaid at the Tally Ho Inn in Market Place, described how she heard the commotion erupt as the gang made their move.

She said: "I live behind the bank and had just got home from the pub.

"I was having a cigarette outside in my garden at around 3am when I heard really loud scraping and banging.

"To be honest, I thought it was kids messing around because a few weeks ago, a couple of them were setting off fireworks during the night.

"I had no idea what was really going on. Hatherleigh is usually so quiet – I feel totally safe here.

"Everyone in the pub is talking about it – it's been the talk of the town."

James McInnes, Devon county councillor for Hatherleigh and Chagford, said: "People in the town are really shocked.

"Things like this don't happen in Hatherleigh because it's such a quiet, tranquil area.

"In West Devon, we have one of the lowest crime rates in the country.

"Something like this is so out of the blue."

Police said that the forklift, which has a top speed of 40mph, was stolen from the Bideford area between Thursday evening and early Friday morning.

Officers are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the forklift truck parked up or being driven around Bideford or Okehampton or anywhere in between.

The police spokesman added: "Also of interest is any suspicious or unusual behaviour demonstrated by people in the area of the National Westminster Bank over the previous weeks."

The bank is the only one in the town, although there are cash machines in some shops.

A spokesman for the bank said last night she was unable to confirm the value of notes contained in the cashpoint machine at the time of the raid.

She added: "The safety and security of our customers and staff is paramount, and our priority is to minimise disruption to our customers at this time."

In September last year, thieves launched an unsuccessful attempt to steal a cash machine from the wall of a petrol station in Bridge Street. Again, the raid was carried out at about 3.15am after thieves forced their way through a secure double-glazed door at the garage.

Although unsuccessful, the gang caused thousands of pounds of damage after using an axe and a crowbar.

Anyone with information about Saturday's raid is asked to ring police on 08452 777444 and quote incident log 350 of February 20.

Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.