RAMRAIDERS smashed their way into a supermarket and attempted to steal a ATM machine last night (Friday). 

The gang demolished the barriers at the Aldi store in Great Harwood, cut through the windows then used a rope to try and drag the cash machine out, police said. 

They left empty-handed but caused a lot of damage to the Heys Lane store. 

It comes just a week after a similar incident at an Aldi store in Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn when theives used tools to get into the store and tried unsuccessfully to get into the back of the cash machine.

And last weekend ram-raiders caused significant damage to the Coal Clough Post Office in Burnley after repeatedly reversing a truck into the side of it in an attempt to steal the cash machine. 

A police spokesman said the Great Harwood incident happened at around 11.30pm. 

He said: "The defendants have used a grey Toyota Land Cruiser to demolish some barriers, cut out the windows and used a rope around the cash machine to try and drag it out of the building. 

"They have done a lot of damage but have not been successful and have not got away with the machine.

"They left in the Toyota Land Cruiser." 

He added it is possibly connected to the incident in Blackburn.

The store was closed on Saturday morning, but bosses were hoping it would be open before lunch time. 

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting log number 1890 of April 21.