Two fast food retailers are to move into a former bank which has been empty for two-and-a-half years after a ram-raid.

Sandwich giant Subway and bakery Greggs are set to open branches in the old NatWest off Staplehurst High Street.

A cash machine was stolen in a dramatic raid at the bank in July 2016. It left the entire front section of the building missing.

It was then announced the branch would close the following summer and the building has been left bare ever since.

The arrival of the takeaways has been welcomed by dozens of villagers commenting on social media.

It comes hot on the heels of news that a Sainsbury's supermarket will finally be built in the village after a wait of more than eight years.

The Greggs and Subway franchises are understood to be opening for business in just a few weeks.

A Subway spokesman said: "We are pleased to confirm that a new Subway store will be opening on the High Street, Staplehurst, on Thursday, February 13, creating up to five jobs.

"The store owner and his team look forward to welcoming guests to the store very soon."

A Greggs spokesman added: "We're looking into the possibility of opening a new shop in Staplehurst in the near future with one of our franchise partners and will have more information about exactly where and when soon."

At the time of the raid, witnesses reported being woken by a loud banging in the middle of the night.

Four or five masked people were seen who appeared to be obscuring CCTV cameras using a fire extinguisher.

They then used a tractor, designed for heavy lifting, to repeatedly ram the building and rip the cash machine from the wall.

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