A DAMAGED shop has re-opened just one day after a stolen JCB was used to rip out its cash machine.

The incident took place at around 2.30am yesterday (Thursday) morning at McColls Stores on Church Street in Kempsey.

The cash machine has now been found in a field on Wadborough Road in Kempsey inside a Toyota Hilux Invincible van.

A second vehicle is currently being searched for.

As a result of the incident, the A38 road was closed at the junction with Church Street on Thursday morning whilst the area was cleared up and made safe.

The road is thought to have been re-opened around 5am.

Police believe the JCB was stolen from a nearby yard, before it was abandoned at the scene.

Fire crews from Worcester and Droitwich attended the incident and helped to make the area safe.

On Thursday McColls declined to comment on the incident.

But on Friday, the shop confirmed it had re-opened.

Local resident Clive Morris, 63, witnessed the damage from his bedroom window.
Mr Morris said: "I was woken up by the noise and went to look out of my window.
"They took out the cash machine with a digger and went down the road through the traffic lights.
"The police were very efficient in clearing up when they arrived about 20 minutes later.
Councillor for Kempsey at Malvern Hills District Council, David Harrison said: "The shop is a very well used and vital village service.
"The fire service have had to prop the shop up to prevent it falling down.
"I hope that the shop is back open soon."

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "West Mercia Police is investigating the theft of a cash machine from a shop in the early hours of this morning, Thursday, January 19.

"Officers were deployed to a shop on Church Street at about 2.30am after receiving a report of a theft taking place.

"They arrived to find that a cash machine had been removed, leaving significant damage to the front of the building.

"A JCB is believed to have been stolen from a nearby yard before being driven to the location of the theft and used to remove the cash machine.

"At this time officers are unable to establish whether anything else has been stolen.

"The JCB was left at the premises after the theft.

"Local searches have been carried out in the Kempsey area.

"Officers investigating the incident would like to hear from anyone who was in the Church Street and A38, Main Road areas between 2am and 2.30am, or has any information which would help them with their enquiries."

Anyone with information, contact police on 101, or or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 quoting incident number 0044S 190117 of Thursday, January 19.