Eighteen-year-old Michael Jones woke up on Saturday morning to discover that his van had been stolen from outside his Sedge Fen flat.

The former groundworker was told by police on Monday that the van and its £800 worth of stock had been found burned out more than 10 miles away in Isleham.

He said: "I've lost it all. I am absolutely gutted and devastated, what I can't understand is why someone would want to steal it."

This summer was the first that Mr Jones had traded as an ice-cream seller after being lent the van by his parents, Sue and Len Jones, who have been in the ice cream trade since 1989. Up until the weekend's incident, business had been going well.

"Last weekend I was due to work at the Fordhamfest and the Newmarket Bike Show and for the rest of the summer season I was fully booked. Things were going very well and I was really enjoying it," he added.

Mr and Mrs Jones, who currently operate two other vans, will now try to cover Michael's remaining summer bookings.

Mrs Jones, said: "We are all devastated about it. We just can't understand how it was taken from such a tucked away and quiet area. We are now going to have to spend more than £10,000 on another van."

The couple have offered a £500 reward for anyone who has information that will lead to the conviction of those involved in Friday's incident.

Anyone with information about the theft between 5pm and 11.50pm on Friday, August 8, should contact PC Cris Reynolds at Brandon Police on 01284 774100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.