Police are hunting ramraiders who targeted a Suffolk golf club leaving a trail of damage in their wake.

The raid occurred at around 4.40am yesterday at Fynn Valley Golf Club in Witnesham and ended with the thieves’ stolen getaway car overturned in a ditch.

Jenny Holmes, company secretary at the club, said her father Tony Tyrrell who owns and lives at the course was awoken by the sound of alarms going off.

Mrs Holmes said: “The thieves rammed through the metal security barrier in their vehicle. Then they took out one of the golf range’s wooden dividers to get access to the door of the shop.

“They put a chain around the metal security gate and attached the other end to the car before ripping the gate off and smashing their way in through the door. At that point the alarms went off.”

The raiders grabbed what they could and made a hasty getaway.

Among the items taken were tailor-made drivers which are all security coded so they can be traced if found.

The total haul was still being assessed yesterday afternoon, but it is said to run into thousands of pounds.

It is believed the thieves drove off on the B1077 in the direction of Westerfield in a red Toyota stolen from Playford.

They are thought to have turned into Lower Road, Westerfield, before crashing into a nearby ditch in Henley Road.

All the occupants had fled by the time police had arrived.

Yesterday scenes of crime officers were at Fynn Valley while the club were left to assess the cost of the damage and stolen property.

Mrs Holmes said: “It’s terrible not only for us, but for the poor people in Playford who lost their vehicle.

“People have not been able to play here or anything.

“We have lost almost a day’s trade. It is just so annoying.

“In all the years we have been trading this is the first time anyone has ever managed to break into the building.”

Anne-Marie Breach, a spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary, said: “We are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area in the early hours or anyone with information about the thefts to call Suffolk Coastal CID by dialling 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously if required, on 0800 555111.”