An organised criminal gang used a lorry cab to rip a cash machine from the wall of a Bradford bank.

But the raiders, who all wore balaclavas, fled empty-handed when police arrived on the scene on Tong Street at around 12.40am today.

Detectives said the team of five or six thieves arrived at the HSBC bank, on the busy main road, in three stolen vehicles - an Iveco skip loader truck, a speedy Subaru Impreza and a Ford Transit van.

Detective Sergeant Martin Taylor, of Bradford South Police, said they connected the machine to the lorry and used it to yank it from its mountings.

"At that point, police officers arrived on the scene and the suspects fled."

One ran away towards Prince Street while the others jumped into the Impreza getaway car and sped off. They managed to lose the chasing officers and later abandoned the Subaru in Bowling Hall Road.

Det Sgt Taylor said it was not yet clear if the gang had been responsible for any other attacks.

He added that all three vehicles had been recovered and would now undergo forensic testing in a bid to trace the thieves.

"This happened on what is a busy road and I am sure a number of motorists will have passed them at the time," said Det Sgt Taylor.

All the raiders dressed in dark clothing while one wore a fluorescent workman's jacket.

He appealed for witnesses to come forward and also anyone who spotted the three stolen vehicles in the days before the raid.

The dark-coloured Subaru was stolen from Dewsbury last Sunday before the thieves changed its registration plates - with different numbers on the front and back. While the front plate read W407 XBT, the rear was MU52PWX.

Det Sgt Taylor said the Transit was taken from Keighley on the same day while the truck was taken from Tyersal shortly before the raid.

He also appealed for witnesses in the Bowling Hall Road area who may have seen the gang dumping the Subaru.

Anyone with information should contact Bradford South CID on (01274) 376459 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.