TWO people escaped death by just one foot when ram-raiders used three high-powered vehicles and a fork-lift truck to smash into a building in Derby.

Police believe the fork-lift truck was stolen locally before being rammed into the Group 4 offices in Wetherby Road, off Ascot Drive.

The incident happened at around 9.50pm last night and police are appealing to anyone who may have seen anything to contact them.

A spokesman said: "We believe the digger was stolen locally and the offenders got away in high-powered cars."

Informing Derbyshire’s police authority of the meeting this morning, Assistant Chief Constable Alec Wood said no money was stolen.

He said: “It is not yet clear if they were disturbed during the raid and just gave up.

“If the truck had gone one foot further forward it would have almost certainly killed two people inside the premises.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call the police on 0345 123 3333.

See tomorrow's thisisDerbyshire and the Derby Telegraph for the full story.