POLICE in Preston are appealing for motorists to come forward after a robbery at a service station in which a man was tied up and held at knifepoint.

Three masked men, believed to be white, approached a truck driver delivering cigarettes at the back of Kinder Service Station, Garstang Road, Broughton, at about 8am on Tuesday.

They bundled him into the back of van, bound his hands and threatened him with a knife, while they stole dozens of packets of cigarettes.

One man spoke with an Irish accent and another with a Liverpool accent. They escaped in an unidentified car leaving the driver in the back of the van.

Detective Constable Dave McKean said: "It was a very substantial amount of cigarettes but until we liaise with the shop and the orders they've put in we won't know exactly how much.

"The driver was very shocked and felt very shaken but he wasn't hurt and is at home recovering."

Police believe there could have been many witnesses to the robbery as it is a busy service station.

Det Con McKean said: "This was a nasty crime and we urge anyone with any information at all to come forward.

"There will have been a lot of people around at that time of the morning on their way to work so we would expect for someone to have seen something."

Anyone with information should contact Preston police on 01772 203203 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.