FIVE Lancashire men have appeared in court charged in connection with kidnapping a lorry driver and stealing thousands of pounds worth of alcopops from his vehicle.

The men, including Stephen Catterall, 28, of Staghills Road, Newchurch, appeared in Leicester Crown Court in relation to an incident in Leicestershire in which a sleeping lorry driver was allegedly driven away in his vehicle.

They appeared to enter pleas on various charges of robbery, kidnap, false imprisonment, arson and handling stolen goods.

The alleged incident took place earlier this year on May 14 when the Belgian-registered Eddie Stobart lorry was parked in a layby of the A444 at Stretton in the Field.

Lorry driver Malcolm Simmons was driven away in the sleeping compartment of the vehicle before being dropped in Staffordshire, it was alleged.

The lorry was later recovered in Kendal, Cumbria, minus its load of £75,000 worth of alcopops.

Three men were charged with robbery, kidnapping, false imprisonment and arson, while another two were charged with handling stolen goods.

Geoffrey Royal, 28, of no fixed abode, Catterall and Mark Norris, 36, of Elgin Street, Bolton, all deny charges of robbery, kidnap and false imprisonment.

Norris and Catterall also pleaded not guilty to arson, after it was alleged that they set fire to the lorry.

David Norris, 53, of Parkfield Road, Bolton, and David Young, 47, of Hough Lane, Bromley Cross, both denied handling stolen goods in relation to alcopops.

Judge Michael Stokes QC remanded Royal and Catterall in custody, while the other three were granted conditional bail.

All were expected to reappear before a judge at Leicester Crown Court on November 1 for a directions hearing.