A HOLE-in-the wall gang used a forklift truck to smash into a post office early yesterday before making off with a safe believed to contain more than £50,000.

As police cordoned off the scene in Wood's Terrace, Murton, County Durham, passers- by looked on in disbelief at the gaping hole torn into the back wall, revealing the counters and protective glass screens inside the usually-busy post office.

Police said the robbery happened at about 1.30am.

Raiders had used the forklift to batter their way into the rear of the premises.

Before launching their attack, the thieves had cut down trees and overgrown bushes to give the assault vehicle a clear run at the building.

The forklift, which investigators have confirmed was stolen from a building site at the Old Vicarage, in East Rainton, was still at the scene with its engine running when officers arrived.

The safe, which had been sited against the rear wall, was lifted clear of the debris by the raiders, who also took stamps, postal orders and road tax discs.

A red pick-up truck, stolen from the Crook area, and believed to have been used to ferry the safe from the scene, was found dumped yesterday morning on a farm track between South Hetton and Haswell.

The safe was not in the truck. The raiders had lifted it into an unknown vehicle to take it away.

The badly-damaged single-storey post office was closed yesterday and postmistress Susan Hodgson was said to be devastated.

Residents leaving their vehicles in a car park that overlooks the rear of the premises found it hard to take in the scene, with the back wall of the post office almost completely gone.

The purpose-built office stands between Murton Officials Club and a medical centre at a traffic-free section of the shopping street.

Detective Inspector Kevin Langan said the forklift was stolen during the night and it was still not clear whether it had been driven by road the four miles to Murton or was transported on the back of another vehicle.

"Clearly, the thieves must have been at the rear of the post office for some time," said Det Insp Langan. "We would like to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the immediate area.

"We would also like to speak to anyone who saw the fork- lift truck being driven from East Rainton to Murton or who spotted it on the back of another vehicle."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0845 60 60 365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.