THIEVES raided a cash machine before fleeing with money during the latest in a string of similar attacks on ATMs in Bolton.

The cash machine at the Texaco garage in Rishton Lane, Great Lever was targeted at around 1.30am early on Tuesday morning, August 30.

Eyewitnesses describe hearing a loud bang and offenders fleeing the scene following the incident.

The ATM is a freestanding unit located next to the entrance of the petrol station convenience store.

Pictures following the attack showed the machine in pieces. The front of the device appeared to have been removed. The empty cash dispenser tray and badly damaged screen console were left hanging from the inside of the unit.

Eyewitnesses on social media reacted with shock.

Writing on Facebook, Paul Basnett said: “It woke me up. I thought it was a crash on the roundabout. I went out to have a look. I heard noise at the petrol station and saw the cash machine in pieces.”

Mr Basnett described seeing money scattered on the floor around the petrol station forecourt while police arrived at the scene.

Eyewitness Robert Birtles said he saw offenders ‘taking the cash cartridges and legging it’ from the petrol station forecourt.

The incident appears similar to a string of incidents in Bolton and across the north west in recent months whereby cash machines have been blown up using compressed gas canisters.

The method involves feeding flammable gas into the machine before igniting the mixture – causing an explosion that blows the front of the ATM up.

In July, thieves used gas canisters to blow up the ATM outside the Nisa shop in Market Street, Little Lever.

In October last year, thieves used a similar method to target a cash machine at the front of Bradshaw Post Office. Neighbours were woken up when a gang blasted the ATM off the wall and escaped with thousands in cash.

Police could not confirm whether the latest incident in Rishton Lane had involved compressed gas, nor how much money was stolen.

A police spokesman said: “We were called shortly before 1.30am this morning, Tuesday, August 30 to Rishton Lane in Great Lever following reports of loud bangs.

“Officers attended. They found damage to a cash machine and that a quantity of cash had been taken. Enquiries are ongoing.”

Police said they were likely to release a description of the offenders in the coming days and asked any witnesses to the incident to call the non-emergency number 101.