Bosses at a shop which has been hit by ramraiders four times in a year warned today they could be forced to quit the city.

A Volvo was used to smash the front of Supercigs shop, pictured, in John Street shortly after 12.30am yesterday by raiders who grabbed a large amount of cigarettes.

The four-strong hooded gang were chased from the scene by police but escaped in a silver Skoda Octavia and a blue Audi saloon. The Volvo was abandoned in the wreckage of the shop.

Carol Popplewell, Bradford area manager of Supercigs, said she contacted Bradford Council following the previous raid six weeks ago, in which cigarettes worth £1,500 were taken. She said she asked for metal bollards to be put up at the edge of the pedestrian crossing to prevent vehicles getting on to the pavement but officials refused.

"I feel we are being ignored by the Council," she said.

"Last time somebody from the Council came round and said we were getting bollards, then when it all settled down they said we weren't because there were problems with health and safety.

"We have just had a new shopfront put on which cost well into thousands of pounds, then it happens again."

Bollards were put on the opposite side of the crossing when improvements were carried out to the Oastler shopping centre last year.

Shop manager Sophie Tempest and a colleague were called out to help clear up and assess the damage yesterday.

"There are already empty shops here and there is going to be another one soon if this carries on," she said.

"We rent this off the Council. It is Council property so it is not even protecting its own property."

Detectives are studying security-camera pictures of the scene for clues about the raid.

They have urged witnesses or anyone with information about the Skoda, registration number YG52 FAU, or the Audi, registration number YF02 NOH, to contact Detective Constable Damon Walker at Bradford South CID on (01274) 376489.