Aintree Hospital ramraiders left empty handed Published duration 18 August 2019

image copyright Google image caption The raid took place at about 03:15 BST

Ramraiders who drove into a hospital's doors in an effort to steal a cash machine damaged their car so badly they were forced to leave empty handed.

Merseyside Police said the masked gang stole the machine from Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, after driving a Renault Scenic into a door.

But they abandoned the machine because their vehicle suffered "extensive damage" in the raid at 03:15 BST.

It meant that the gang had to use another vehicle to escape.

Police said one of the four men was thought to have been armed.

Ch Insp Kevin Chatterton, of Merseyside Police, said: "This was a failed attempt to ram the premises and steal the ATM machine, which is a reckless thing to do.

"Thankfully, this attempt was unsuccessful and caused no injuries. "