A gang of raiders smashed a 4x4 car through the front of a bus station before making off with money from a cash machine.

The ramraiders drove the Daihatsu vehicle up the kerb and smashed it into the front of Cleckheaton bus station in Dewsbury Road.

They then broke into a cash machine in the station’s Metro Kio convenience store and grabbed the cash box, leaving the machine dumped outside on the pavement.

The Daihatsu was also abandoned at the scene and the raiders fled.

Detectives investigating the ram raid said the gang – possibly three people – made off in a white Transit van towards Cleckheaton town centre.

The front of the bus station was left badly damaged following the burglary, which happened at 11.20pm on Tuesday.

Police cordoned off a large area in front of the station and officers were poring over CCTV in a bid to catch the robbers.

Forensics officers were examining the dumped Daihatsu 4 x 4 yesterday.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire transport operator, Metro, said: “The target seems to have been the cash machine and the raiders used a vehicle to smash their way into the retail unit from the street side of the bus station.

“The police were on the scene very quickly and we will be supplying them with any relevant CCTV coverage captured by our cameras.

“Although the retail unit will be closed for police investigation and repairs, services are operating normally from the bus station.”

Kath Pinnock, Cleckheaton ward councillor on Kirklees Council, said it was the second time in as many years the bus station had been hit by a vehicle.

In June, 2009, a man was injured when a 4x4 he was driving accidentally crashed through a lamp post and into a wall before smashing into the bus station.

Coun Pinnock said of the raid: “It is always a shock when incidents like this happen in your home town.”

A police spokesman said: “A Daihatsu 4 x 4 smashed into the front window of the convenience store at the station.

“Possibly three suspects then stole the cash box from a free-standing ATM machine inside the store and made off in a white Transit van.”

Any witnesses or anyone with information about the ram raid should contact Dewsbury CID on (01924) 431085.