Motorway Pit Stop restaurant re-opens to serve breakfast to truckers just hours after huge raid

A motorway restaurant has opened early for business despite a ram raid robbery just hours earlier.

The Chippenham Pit Stop and Draycot Store off Junction 17 of the M4 was targeted by a gang of raiders who stole a pick-up truck, reversed it through the store entrance smashing through the glass doors and dragged away an ATM machine causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The raiders struck last Friday night around 11.30pm before abandoning the pick-up truck in a nearby field.

The damage to the front of the restaurant was extensive. Credit: David Hatherell

But customers and staff of the Chippenham Pit Stop have been praised for coming together to clear up and open for business early the next morning serving breakfast to lorry drivers who entered through an emergency exit.

David Hatherell said the damage was heartbreaking especially as the store had only recently opened to serve Stanton St Quinton, Kingston Langley and all the other surrounding villages.