A FRESH appeal for witnesses has been made by police hunting the smash and grab Hatherleigh bank raiders.

The robbers, disguised as workmen, stole a cash machine after smashing into the NatWest bank in Bridge Street, Hatherleigh, at 3.15am on Saturday, February 20.

Devon and Cornwall Police have now released video footage of the stolen fork-lift truck driving into the market town the evening before the raid.

The red Manitou heavy duty fork-lift truck used in the robbery was stolen from Bideford.

In the video it can been seen driving into Hatherleigh at about 7.55pm on Friday, February 19 and parking in the Market car park, facing the Nat West Bank.

A police spokesman said: "The fork-lift truck remains in this position until it is used as a battering ram to smash the frontage of the bank and, together with a stolen blue Toyota HiLux 4x4, remove the ATM."

The video footage also shows the Toyota leaving Hatherleigh at about 3.35am on the Saturday, followed by a dark coloured vehicle which police believe was used by the robbers.

Police said: "We are trying to fill the gaps between when the vehicles were stolen and when this offence occurred, particularly with the distinctive red Manitou fork-lift truck travelling between Bideford, where it was stolen during the evening of February 18, and Hatherleigh.

"The Toyota was stolen between 2.45pm and 3.15pm on Thursday, February 18 from the Crediton area.

"It is likely that these vehicles were parked up somewhere in between times and again we are asking the public if they recall seeing these vehicles by the roadside or concealed somewhere off road."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 08452 777444 quoting the log number 350 of February 20.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.