Thieves were forced to flee empty handed after the joint efforts of vigilant people and police foiled a ram-raid in the early hours of this morning.

Police were alerted at around 2.30am by calls from people who witnessed a JCB digger being stolen from a nearby building site and driven towards the NatWest bank, in Ashford Road, Bearsted, near Maidstone.

When they arrived they disturbed the robbers, who were forced to leave the cash machine outside the bank. No money was taken.

Two vehicles in the area at the time were seen driving towards Langley on the A20 – a blue, old style Mitsubishi 4x4 and a dark coloured Ford Transit flat bed lorry.

Det Insp Susie Harper said: "I would like to thank the public for alerting us to this incident, which helped us to respond quickly and foil the robbers from taking what would have been a significant amount of money.

"A witness gave a description of one of the offenders as being 5 ft 6in and of stocky build, but we would still like to hear from anyone with any more information about those involved or who has knowledge of the two vehicles."

Det Sgt Kerry Rothwell added: "One of the possible lines of inquiry is that it is someone familiar with this type of construction equipment."

Nearby roads were closed while forensic teams examined the crumpled cash machine and the inside of the JCB.

Around 9.30am the digger was removed and returned to the nearby building site.

A woman who gave her name only as Audrey, who lives opposite the bank, saw most of the failed raid and called the police.

She said: "Our window was open and we heard the noise from the engine. Then we heard an almighty crash and when we looked out of the window we could see the arm of the JCB was up.

"I couldn’t see the actual bank, but I called police straight away. They turned up while it was still going on and the next thing I saw was the 4x4 flying up in the air, as it drove right up a grass verge in front of the bank.

"It is satisfying to know that they didn’t get away with the machine."