RAMRAIDERS smashed their way into an Ely store in the early hours of Sunday morning causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Shop owner Rupinder Singh and her husband, Nargen, were asleep upstairs when a stolen pick-up truck was rammed backwards and f

RAMRAIDERS smashed their way into an Ely store in the early hours of Sunday morning causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Shop owner Rupinder Singh and her husband, Nargen, were asleep upstairs when a stolen pick-up truck was rammed backwards and forwards into their store.

They were woken by the sound of breaking glass at the Spar shop in New Barns Road and discovered the front of the building completely wrecked.

Mrs Singh opened the top floor window and shouted at the raiders who fled empty-handed. Their red Toyota truck was found burned out two hours later at Heaton Close.

"They rammed the truck backwards and forwards into the shop front three or four times," said Mrs Singh. "They smashed the front door and all the brickwork. There was only one window left in the shop.

"The counter was smashed and the unit which holds the cigarettes. There was glass everywhere."

The break-in happened around 3.30am and neighbours rushed to help Mr and Mrs Singh who have run the shop for the last 30 years.

"I was numb," added Mrs Singh. "I couldn't speak. It was such a shock. Everything happened so quickly.

"We couldn't take the Sunday papers because of the mess and I am probably losing about 20 per cent of my trade. The shop has been boarded up."

Customers have been calling at the shop with cakes and flowers for Mrs Singh.

"Everyone has been fantastic," she said. "They have said they don't want to lose us. This is Christmas - it should be a happy time. Now I can't sleep."

Police investigating the incident are scanning CCTV cameras and anyone with any information is asked to call Cambridgeshire police on 0845 456 4564 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.