A bakery worker has been hailed a hero after he dragged a lorry thief from a moving vehicle and then sat on him for five minutes until police arrived.

The dramatic incident unfolded after Chris Drew spotted the man jump into the driver’s seat as it was about to be loaded with bread and cakes.

The lorry careered through two crash barriers with the tail lift dragging along the ground as it weaved around the industrial estate grounds in Brighton.

Mr Drew, who is in his 40s, chased after the lorry, pulled the keys from the ignition and dragged the man out of the vehicle.

He and two of his colleagues then restrained the man by sitting on him until police officers arrived.

Mr Drew, dispatch manager for Brighton-based Forfars bakery, was at the company’s depot at Home Farm Business Centre in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, at 5.30am on Saturday when the incident happened.

Sussex Police confirmed a man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of assault, theft of a motor vehicle, drink driving and dangerous driving. He was released on police bail until February.