A REWARD of £10,000 is being offered for information leading to the capture of armed robbers who took a courier van driver on a journey of terror.

The man's ordeal began on Monday night on the East Lancs Road, four miles from the M6 at Leigh, when a courier van was flagged down by a car with a flashing blue light.

The van driver was confronted by a man with a shotgun who told him to follow the car.

The armed man climbed into the van alongside the driver, who was taken on a short journey before being abandoned in a farmer's field.

Five pouches containing a large number of prepared cheques and other paper documents were taken in the raid.

The van driver was not injured but was treated at Winwick Hospital for severe shock. One of the robbers is described as white, six feet tall, aged 25 to 35, and of stocky build. He had jet black hair half way down his ears combed to the right and had a moustache and goatee beard. He also had a bump on his nose near to the bridge and a star tattooed on his right ear lobe.

He spoke with a southern accent and was wearing a black bomber type jacket, and black or dark blue shell suit bottoms.

The £10,000 reward is being offered for the recovery of the cheques and the for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robbers.

Anyone with information should contact Leigh CID on 0161-872-5050.

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