Four members of a Bradford-based ram-raid gang which committed a series of terrifying attacks across the region have been jailed for a total of 35 years.

Ringleaders Nicholas Conway and David Swindon were yesterday sentenced to 14 and 13 years respectively behind bars after Bradford Crown Court heard how the gang had targeted shops, newsagents and a post office for their smash and grab raids.

During a three-month crime spree the gang were involved in a dozen attacks on commercial premises across the north of England and prosecutor Andrew Dallas said all but one were aimed at stealing money from cashpoint machines.

Some members of the gang were also responsible for a string of night-time break-ins at homes across the region so that high-performance or spacious vehicles could be stolen for use in the raids.

Mr Dallas said: ''The usual method was to smash through the entrance to the shop using a stolen vehicle and then attach heavy-duty chains around the ATM (automatic telling machine).

''The stolen vehicle was then used to wrench the ATM from its floor bolts. 'Unless disturbed the burglars loaded the ATM into this or another stolen vehicle which was driven away at high speed.

''The burglars relied on speed, show of force and determination to try to get the cash and to get away before the police, in sufficient force, could get there.''

If a patrol car did get to the scene it was simply rammed out of the way or out-run by the getaway vehicles including high-performance Subaru Imprezas which were favoured by the gang.

One brave couple who challenged the raiders when they smashed their way into a newsagents in Rochdale had a noxious substance, probably CS gas, squirted in their faces.

Although only five of the cash machines ram-raids were successful the gang still netted almost £60,000 and Mr Dallas said the total loss, including damage to vehicles and property was estimated to be at least £150,000.

Conway, 24, of Scholes Street, Bankfoot, Bradford, and 31-year-old Swindon, of Poolsbrook Road, Chesterfield, both pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to commit burglaries between December 2002 and March 2003.

Conway was eventually let out on bail after his custody time limit expired and he was part of a gang which carried out a daring night-time attack on the Kingsgate shopping centre in Huddersfield four months ago.

The court heard that a cash machine containing £120,000 was targeted by the gang who used a van to smash through the main entrance doors shortly before 5am.

When police arrived on the scene the men got into the Subaru and it was then driven out of the centre despite having its windscreen smashed.

The car collided with another police vehicle outside and one officer, who was trying to open the passenger door of the Subaru, was injured when a second police car rammed it.

Although the gang had not got any of the cash from the machine the damage bill following the incident was put at more than £25,000.

Conway admitted a separate charge of burglary in relation to that attack.

He also pleaded guilty to being involved in another conspiracy relating to night-time trips to the Yorkshire Dales back in 2001 to steal quad-bikes and motorcycles from isolated farm properties

Daniel Barker, 22, of Priestley Terrace, Wibsey, Bradford, was jailed for four years after he admitted being part of the ram-raid conspiracy.

He was said to supplied some vehicles and to have helped obtain others.

Damien Royle, 20, of Smith Avenue, Odsal, Bradford, admitted burglary charges in respect of the ram-raid attack on a specialist electrical shop in Brighouse in December 2002 and a similar raid on a newsagents in Southowram when a cash machine containing £3,900 was stolen.

He also pleaded guilty to being involved in the Yorkshire Dales conspiracy with Conway and was sentenced to four years in a young offenders institution.

A fifth man, 56-year-old William Lewis, of Mitchell Square, West Bowling, Bradford, admitted lesser charges of allowing himself to be carried in a vehicle taken without consent and attempted theft during one of the trips to the Dales.

He was made the subject of community rehabilitation order for 12 months.

* Successful ram-raids carried out by the gang included:

Dec 5/6, 2002 - Active audio visual shop Park Row, Brighouse (stole expensive plasma television equipment and DVD players);

Feb 12/13, 2003 - One Stop Convenience Store, Keighley Road, Crossflatts (stole ATM containing £21,450);

There were also five dwelling house burglaries, two attempted house burglaries, a garage burglary and ten offences of theft or attempted theft of motor vehicles.

Judge Robert Bartfield said: ''You Nicholas Conway and you David Swindon were, I am satisfied, the leaders of a team of professional ram-raiders, some of whom have never been apprehended, whose purpose was to target ATM machines in shops and similar premises.

''These ram-raiding offences were determined, professional and carefully planned as they had to be.''

He said the premises were invariably vulnerable, small shops, newsagents and stores in which there were free-standing ATM machines.

''You were prepared to use maximum force to achieve your ends and it has to be remembered that these shops into which you were breaking were in many cases occupied above the shops by the shopkeepers themselves who would stay in their flat terrified of what they could hear unfolding next to them."