ROBBERS escaped with a haul of cash after raiding a machine at a Swanage supermarket in the early hours of yesterday.

Police were called to the Co-op in King's Road West at around 2.30am after neighbours were woken by the sound of a disc cutter and saw sparks in the lobby of the store, where the machine is located.

A spokesman for Dorset police said two people were seen getting into a dark-coloured car - possibly an Audi A3 - and driving off down King's Road West towards the A351.

The culprits removed a glass panel to get into the lobby and attacked the back of the cash machine with a disc cutter.

They took cash boxes, opening one and emptying it. Police said at least one other box had coated its contents with red security dye.

The anti-theft dye could also be seen on the floor of the lobby and on the pavement outside the store.

DC Carl Wooff said: "The disc cutter must have made a lot of noise and other residents may have heard the disturbance and taken a look at where it was coming from. I'm appealing for anyone who saw the activity in the store in the early hours of Thursday morning to contact Dorset Police.

"I'd also like to hear from anyone who saw a dark coloured car in the area or on the A351 heading towards Wareham.

"The people responsible and the car involved will have red security dye on them - perhaps someone has noticed this dye on clothing or a car; they should call the police with any information they have."

A Co-op spokesman said: "The Swanage store is open as normal and there has been no inconvenience to shoppers.

"We are now helping police with their investigation. As yet we have been unable to determine if any money was stolen as the parts that hold the cash are currently being held by the police."

Police do not yet know how much cash was taken and officers were at the store, which remained open as normal on Thursday morning, to examine the scene. They are also trawling through CCTV footage and conducting house-to-house enquiries.

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 01202 22 22 22 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.