A DELIVERY vehicle containing around 800 copies of the Advertiser/Messenger was stolen in Barnt Green, while the newspapers were being distributed.

Simon Nicol, a distributing agent for the papers, parked his van in Bittell Lane, Barnt Green, at 1.20pm last Wednesday while he went to deliver a bundle of newspapers. But he turned round to discover that his silver Vauxhall Mariva had gone.

The bundles of newspapers were discovered later in the afternoon, having been dumped further up Bittell Lane.

"I parked outside a house at about 1.20pm, turned the ignition off and left the key on the dashboard, but I was only gone for literally ten or 12 seconds," said Simon.

"I ran up to the building with the papers, turned round and the van had gone.

"As I went to the doorstep, I heard a car pull up opposite, and then the sound of a car horn.

"I think I was followed because a vehicle pulled up outside a house over the road, but I thought they were just going to the house. It just goes to show you can never be too careful."

But it didn't stop Simon getting his job done.

"Someone picked me up after I'd called to say it had been stolen, and I went round to retrieve the papers, and people started receiving them by about 4.20pm," he said.