DEVASTATED John Peters had his beloved ice cream van stolen...before it was returned with thousands of pounds worth of damage.

John, a popular ice cream man from Rochford, had his pride and joy taken and then trashed, with cash stolen.

The 53-year-old, who has been a vendor for 12 years and uses two vans, was without the vehicle for four days, before it was recovered by Essex Police.

The van had been emptied of all the ice cream inside, with the equipment inside destroyed.

John believes the damage inside will cost £4,000 to put right.

About £700 of cash was also removed from the vehicle.

He said: “The whole inside was wrecked, I couldn’t believe it,

“I’ve had it a year and had done it all up."

Echo:

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A police probe has since been launched following the theft.

No arrests have been made, Essex Police confirmed.

John, who injured his knees working on the London Underground, previously explained how his injuries were catching up with him.

While working on the underground, he saved 26 lives after 15 years of ambulance training.

A young girl died in his arms during his time in London.

John, who also suffered spinal injuries after a fall, never wanted to work behind a desk which means he put his heart and soul into his ice cream business.

He estimates that the van, prior to the theft, was worth more than £10,000.

John added: “It’s completely undriveable now, I’m not sure where I go from here.I’m just waiting for what the insurance say.

“It’s been smashed up and drained of all the ice cream. £700 was in there too, that’s all gone as well.

“I’ve got another van I can use, but this one has been written off.

“I haven’t even looked at the engine or the outside yet.

“It’s too much to repair myself, I’m relying on the insurance.”

The Whitby van, stolen on Sunday, April 11, was returned on Thursday.

His other van, pictured above, is a converted Ford Transit, which is worth significantly less than the now ruined van. John, who was struck down with Covid last year, regularly allows children, with their parents, to sell ice creams on their birthdays.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101.