THIEVES endangered the lives of police officers when they repeatedly tried to reverse into their car outside an Evesham store.

The pair escaped empty handed after a cash machine, stolen from the store in Badsey, fell out of the back of the 4x4 vehicle.

It happened at 3.45am on Sunday.

Officers followed the vehicle, which was driven erratically and abandoned alongside a railway line in the village of Swindon, Cheltenham 30 minutes later.

It was driven through the villages of Willersey, Broadway and Teddington to the outskirts of Cheltenham.

A second vehicle, believed to be a Volvo estate car was also seen leaving the scene with one person inside.

There were two stolen vehicles found abandoned nearby.

Police have not ruled out a connection with similar incidents over the last three months, one in Ashton-under-Hill and Evesham.

Anyone with any information, can call police on 08457 444888 quoting 87S/300504.