A building society will be closed for the "foreseeable future" after it was targeted in an early morning ram raid.

The Kent Reliance branch in Hempstead Valley has been described as like a "war zone" after the incident.

Police were seen at Hempstead Valley shopping centre, in Hempstead at around 5am.

Eyewitness Steven Downey Jr described "substantial structural damage to multiple buildings".

He said: "It didn't look good this morning.

"There is a big hole in the wall of TK Maxx and the Kent Reliance shop is like a war zone."

A TK Maxx spokesman, who did not want to be named, said nobody was in the store at the time.

He said: "It's business as usual."

Kent Reliance has confirmed the shop will be closed for the foreseeable future.

The nearest alternative branches are at Chatham and Maidstone.

Centre manager Mark Rumfitt said one ATM was taken and another left on the floor.

The area, including a bus stop, is cordoned off and remains at the crime scene.

The road going into the shopping centre next to the building society will be one way traffic only for the rest of the week.

With the exception of Kent Reliance, all shops are trading as normal.

Police are appealing for information from any witnesses who saw the incident.

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