Bungling thieves ripped out a cashpoint in a smash-and-grab raid at Manningtree railway station, but ended up having to abandon the money they stole.

British Transport Police are now looking for the raiders who carried out the burglary at about 3am yesterday morning. The JCB they used during the break-in was found overturned in a ditch, along with the cashpoint.

The lumbering getaway vehicle was discovered less than a mile away, just over the border into Suffolk.

It is not clear whether the driver had crashed, or the vehicle was deliberately dumped. A grey Ford Transit van was also found nearby.

The raiders used the JCB to smash through the locked doors at the station entrance.

Chains were attached to the ATM machine in the 6ft-high frame opposite the ticket kiosk. The cashpoint was then wrenched out, leaving the empty frame standing in the foyer.

The chains used were discarded on the pavement outside. The raiders are believed to have fled and turned left at the end of the road towards Brantham. They are thought to have gone under the railway bridge and driven at least a quarter of a mile until they got to the roundabout at Cattawade.

The JCB is then believed to have turned left into the road leading to East Bergholt.

However, it was abandoned and left overturned in a ditch beside the road after travelling only a few hundred metres.

A spokesman for BTP said: “The raiders are believed to have used a JCB and chains to pull the machine out of the ticket office.

“The ATM machine, JCB and a grey Ford Transit van, also believed to have been used during the incident, were all found abandoned close to the scene.

“Initial inquiries suggest that no money is missing from the machine. Detectives are seeking to view CCTV from in and around the area.”

Anyone who can help the inquiry should call 0800 405040 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.