A LORRY driver is being held by police in western France after cannabis worth an estimated £3.6million was allegedly discovered in his vehicle.

Zackory Lee Edmonson, 30, was arrested in Nantes while he was en-route delivering a cargo of television sets from Madrid to Wrexham in North Wales.

Today the French head of service for customs in Nantes confirmed that he has been detained after being stopped nine days ago for a routine check at the motorway toll in Bignon.

And a spokesman for the French Gendarmes' central operations unit has confirmed that they found 1.2 tonnes of cannabis resin concealed in 38 cartons in the front compartment of the lorry.

French police said Mr Edmonson, who is believed to live in the Ribble Valley, has been questioned on suspicion of importing, acquiring, holding and transporting illegal substances.

He is being held in custody while investigations continue.

According to the pubic prosecutor, he explained to officials that he regularly made journeys from Spain to England.

Peter Gullason, director of Rosewood Trucking, Skelmersdale, which organises up to 30 deliveries of television sets a week, said he became aware of the situation when the load, which he had organised, did not arrive in England as expected on Thursday.

He said: " We have had four or five vehicles stopped recently. The cargo of 272 television sets was collected from a highly reputable multi-national company in Madrid last Monday, not some back street joint."

Rosewood sub-contracted the transport work to Darwen-based haulier JF Mercer, which employs Mr Edmonson as a driver.

The manager of JF Mercer, in Melville Avenue, declined to be named, but said: "We knew something was wrong when he failed to get on the 8am ferry on Tuesday as planned.

"He had collected and signed for a sealed container so I don't think there is any way he could have known.

"Where is he going to buy all that cannabis and have the time to put it on the cargo?"

He said Mr Edmonson had been kept in jail and is well but very worried.

He added: "This is such a nightmare and we are having to sort out his legal fees. We just cannot understand what is going on."

Pasquale Lamanno from the government's Foreign and Commonwealth department in London confirmed that Mr Edmonson was reported missing by his family on February 21 and had been remanded in custody while the investigation continued.

Phillipa Thompson, of the British Embassy in Paris, said: "Mr Edmonson is being held under provisional detention laws.

"Following his first four days in custody the case was taken over by the Public Prosecutor and then passed to the Examining Judge, who is heading the full investigation.

"An interpreter will be available at all times and legal aid will be provided."

Mr Edmonson could face a jail term of up to ten years if convicted.

A consulate representative is expected to visit Mr Edmonson.