POLICE in Essex are appealing for information after a lorry driver was discovered tied up and the contents of his lorry missing.

POLICE in Essex are appealing for information after a lorry driver was discovered tied up and the contents of his lorry missing.

The 39-year-old driver was transporting whiskey and children's toys from Kent when he stopped at a Moto service station in Thurrock, in the early hours of November 5, and was asked by a man if he could borrow his phone.

As the driver left the station to return to his lorry, he was threatened by another man, who said he had a gun, and was forced to drive into Essex.

The driver remembers travelling with one man beside him and one behind. He was told to stop in a lay by and was tied up before the contents of his lorry, including £39,000 of whiskey, were stolen.

He was later found in Ongar Road, Fyfield, at 10.40am, but does not recall how he got there.

One of the men involved in the robbery is described as white, 6ft 2ins tall, and was wearing a beanie hat and high visibility jacket.

The other man is also white, 5ft 7ins, and showed the driver what he believed was the barrel of a gun.

Police would like to hear from anyone who saw the silver Mercedes lorry, which had a panda toy in the window and was carrying two 20ft trailers, or anyone who has been offered bottles of Wild Turkey whiskey.

Anyone with information should call Tilbury CID on 0300 3334444.