Two cash machines have been ripped out of the walls of a bank in southern Scotland and taken away on a horsebox in an early morning raid.

Peebles High Street has been closed to vehicles after the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on the town’s Eastgate was targeted at about 03:00.

A telescopic forklift was left abandoned in the street and Borders Buses has said it will not be able to serve the nearby bus stop until further notice.

Police Scotland has appealed for any witnesses to what it described as a “planned series of crimes involving stolen vehicles”.

Police said a grey Audi saloon car, grey Isuzu D-Max pick-up towing a horsebox and a Manitou telehandler had entered the Eastgate area in the early hours of the morning.

The forklift was used to ram the building and remove two cash machines before they were loaded onto the horsebox.

The pick-up and horsebox had been reported stolen while the vehicle used to smash into the bank, which is also believed to be stolen, was left at the scene.

Three men, all wearing dark clothing, were seen leaving the area in the Audi and pick-up heading in the direction of Northgate.

Det Insp Keith Sinclair said: “This was clearly a planned series of crimes, involving stolen vehicles, to target the cash machines.

“Extensive inquiries are ongoing to trace the suspects and officers are working through CCTV from the area and speaking to witnesses.”

He appealed to anyone with information or anyone who saw any of the vehicles to get in touch.