POLICE are treating an attack at a cash machine in Yate with 'utmost seriousness'.

Significant damage was caused at Tesco Express, on Station Road, and residents reported hearing a loud explosion which sounded like gunfire during the incident which happened shortly before 3.30am.

Gas canisters were used to blow up the cashpoint and the thieves are beleived to have made off with a quantity of cash.

DCI Matt Iddon said: “This was an extremely dangerous and reckless act which put lives at risk and we are treating it with the utmost seriousness.

“The success rate for these attacks is actually very low, with little or no money stolen.

“We in Avon and Somerset are committed to apprehending those involved in ATM attacks and have a significant arrest record relating to this type of offence. In recent months we have also seen a number of people jailed for attacks of this kind.”

The attack resulted in the road being closed for a number of hours and specialist crime scene investigators have been on the scene all day.

CCTV is being reviewed and police are carrying out house-to-house inquiries.

Structural engineers have been brought in to make the building safe and traffic on Station Road is slow tonight as drivers slow down to view the damage.

It follows numerous other similar attacks on cash machines across Bristol including two in Winterbourne last week.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call 101 quoting reference number 5216101529.