Police in the New Forest are appealing for witnesses, after a lorry driver was assaulted when three men tried to siphon diesel from his lorry.

The incident happened at approximately 12:45pm on Sunday, July 2, at a layby on the eastbound carriageway of the A31 at Stoney Cross.

The lorry driver, from Totnes in Devon, was on route to a delivery in Southampton, when he stopped in the layby and got out of his vehicle.

Shortly after, a white transit van, containing four men, pulled into the layby and three of the men got out.

One of the men got into the cab of the lorry, one into the back of the lorry, and the third started to try and siphon fuel from the lorry’s tank.

The lorry driver was then hit across his back with a metal bar and the three men fled.

Acting Sergeant Debbie Holman of Totton police station, said: “This assault left the lorry driver extremely shaken. I would appeal to any witnesses travelling along the A31 at the time, who saw anything, to come forward. I would particularly like to hear from a lady sitting in a dark blue car that was seen parked up behind the lorry in the same layby at the time of the assault.”

The lorry is described as having a white trailer with white cab and carrying a green and yellow “Dairy Crest” logo on both doors.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Acting Sergeant Holman at Totton Police on 0845 045 45 45 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.