Fire crews tackled a blaze at a service station in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, after a digger, used to ram raid an ATM, burst into flames.

Fire crews were called to the blaze at 2.15am on Saturday October 27 at the Spar store on the Maxol forecourt on Templepatrick Road in Ballyclare.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: “Shortly before 2am thieves used a yellow Case digger to remove an ATM machine from the building.

“The digger involved had been stolen a short time earlier from a nearby building site and then set on fire and was destroyed following the incident.

“Considerable damage was caused to the building during the incident.”

Detective sergeant Peter Crothers is appealing for anyone who witnessed the assualt on the service station or the theft of the digger in the Templepatrick Road area or who has any information that can assist with the investigation to contact detectives in Antrim on 101 quoting reference 132 27/10/18.

He said: “Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.”