Ramraiders have smashed through the front of a post office while the owners slept upstairs.

Married couple, Sue and Geoff Sellars, have spoken of the terrifying moments the 4x4 car repeatedly rammed the front of their shop in Heath Road, Bradfield, just feet beneath them.

Mr Sellars said: "We heard an almighty crash and thought the house was going to fall down.

"I started to go downstairs and all I could hear was the car repeatedly reversing into the shop and destroying the place."

By the time he got down to the shop just after 1am, he said the engine was still running, the raiders gone and the premises wrecked.

Police arrived within 15 minutes, using a helicopter and dogs to search the area.

A police spokesman said: "It looks like they were trying to steal the ATM machine.

"The vehicle reversed through the front of the post office and we found a thick rope in the back with a noose they probably wanted to use to rip the machine out with."

The vehicle used to ram the post office was a 4x4 Cherokee Jeep which had been stolen from Harwich Road, Mistley, earlier in the day.

The Jeep was left jammed into the front of the building and police believe they fled the scene in another vehicle.

Despite the wreckage caused by the raid it was business as usual for the post office.

Mr Sellars said: "We set up shop outside, got all the papers delivered and were still open at 7.30am.

"From the moment it happened we have had wonderful support from the villagers."

Margaret Townsend, chairman of Bradfield Parish Council, was at the scene early on Thursday.

She said: "It is unbelievable this has happened in our quiet village, but a credit to the owners to carry on despite wrecking their shop."

Police have appealed to anyone who saw suspicious activity in Mistley on Thursday or witnesses to the raid to call them on 01255 221312.