A gang of thieves who stole almost £250,000 from bank machines during a five-month crime spree were behind bars last night.

Gary Self, Dominic Alderton, Shanney Steele and Reuben Reynolds were sentenced to a combined total of more than 16 years in jail for their role in raiding ATM machines using stolen farm vehicles and cars.

Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard the men deliberately targeted ATM machines in rural areas of three counties before attempting bigger heists in more populated areas of Lincolnshire.

Tele-loader pick-up trucks were used by the gang to smash bank machines out of shops before they were taken away and "slaughtered" of the cash inside.

Cigarettes and tobacco were also stolen by the gang during the nine different incidents, which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. One of the ATM machines involved was estimated to cost £13,000.

The court heard each man was assigned a particular role to execute during the raid, with more than the four men sentenced involved. Each defendant took part in a different number of raids but Self, 44, was identified by prosecutors as the "ring leader".

Businesses targeted included Barclays Bank in Spilsby, Morrisons at Stamford, a Jet Service Station in Retford plus a post office in Lowdham, Nottinghamshire.

The case was moved to the city's magistrates' court yesterday from the crown court for security reasons, with the defendants appearing via video link for the sentencing.

The four men pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to steal at an earlier hearing.

Self, of Coney Spinney, Flintham, was sentenced to four years and eight months in jail; Reynolds, 27, of Travellers Rest, Grantham, four years; Alderton, 22, of Coney Spinney, Flintham four years; and Steele, 36, of Jubilee Street, Newark, to three years and six months.