Emmer Green petrol station 'ram raid': Damaged cars left at scene

A black Range Rover with apparent bullet damage remains at the scene

A petrol station has been forced to close following a suspected ram raid.

Thames Valley Police said it received multiple reports of a burglary at Tesco Express at Emmer Green, Reading, at about 02:45 BST.

A 4x4 remains on the forecourt with apparent bullet damage to the windows but Met Police, who already had officers on the scene, said no shots were fired.

Residents reported hearing "yelling and banging".

The petrol station has been cordoned off.

An Alfa Romeo car, on a clearing across the road, has similar damage to the black Range Rover on the forecourt.

An Alfa Romeo car has been cordoned off close to the petrol station

Nicole Bryan, who lives nearby, said: "I was literally woken up by the noise, the bang. I heard a car speed then 'bang'.

"There was [sic] lots of police here, obviously looking for something."

An 84-year-old neighbour said she heard "shouting, screaming, yelling and banging" in the communal garden outside her home.

She added: "I don't know how many there were, it sounded like a few. I didn't look out because I'm 84 and I didn't want to be involved in it.

"Later on the garden was full of police with torches and the car park was full of police cars."

Another resident told the BBC the Range Rover appeared to be "riddled with bullet holes".

Police said armed officers were not involved and no shots were fired

The Met Police confirmed officers were in the area at the time as part of an ongoing investigation.

It said armed officers were not involved and no shots were fired by the force.

Thames Valley Police also confirmed neither its officers nor the offenders fired any shots.

It urged anyone with information or dash cam and doorbell footage to get in touch.

A spokesperson for Tesco said: "Our Emmer Green Esso Express Store and Petrol Filing Station are closed until further notice and we're really sorry for any inconvenience caused.

"We are helping police with their inquiries following an incident in the early hours of this morning."

On the Scene

By Mike Apps, BBC South reporter

Anyone passing this petrol station, just five minute's drive from the centre of Reading, could not fail to get a sense of the scale of the drama which unfolded here last night.

There is still a police presence - I've seen people in forensic suits taking a closer look at the damaged Range Rover on the forecourt.

The windscreen clearly has several holes the size of bullets - but we can't be clear on what has caused this.

On a grass verge directly opposite the petrol station, there is an Alfa Romeo surrounded by police tape, also with damage to its windscreen.

There is also damage to part of the front of the Tesco express.

Local residents tell me they heard screeching car tyres and people shouting, and ultimately a large police presence.