THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage has been caused to a garage which was targeted by would-be burglars driving a tractor.

The West Meon Hut was targeted in the early hours of yesterday in a bid to rip out the store’s cash point.

However, they appear to have been disturbed, leaving empty handed.

The tractor has been cleared from the scene, but the building has been badly damaged, with owner Oli Lodge estimating tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused.

Mr Lodge said: “I’ve not been able to look at the CCTV yet. They didn’t get what they wanted.”

The Budgens store that is attached to garage has been open for business today.

Mr Lodge said: “We want to be open. We don’t want to let them win twice.

“We are pretty vulnerable here, we have improved our security systems to try to match it.

“But when they’ve got a digger, there’s not much you can do.”

The garage is based off the A32 near West Meon, at the crossroads with the A272.