A taxi which transports special needs children to and from school has been stolen.

John Lauren, a driver for A Line Taxis in Dorchester, woke up to find that his silver Ford Tourneo van had been stolen from his home in Winfrith Newburgh.

The van, which is believed to cost more than £25,000, has the registration number YS17 CWG.

Dorset Police are investigating the theft and is appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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A spokesman for Dorset Police said they were called to a report of vehicle theft at 11.25am on Tuesday.

It is believed to have been taken sometime between 5.30pm on Monday and 9.30am on Tuesday from outside an address in School Lane.

Charlotte White, director of A Line Taxis, said: “It’s a really unpleasant and inconvenient thing to have happened.

“The driver went to bed and got up late in the morning, preparing for a night shift, to find that his van has been stolen.

“He still has the keys. I don’t know how they managed to move it. There seems to be quite a lot of stuff being stolen in the area recently.

“He’s absolutely gobsmacked, he got out of bed and the thing was gone.”

She added: “Police are overworked at the moment and aren’t able to offer much more than helping to spread the word on social media.

“Most drivers own their vehicles, there’s only a few people who rent theirs off me. But this van belongs to the driver. It’s only two years old.

“It is a large silver vehicle seating nine people, with a pale interior and an A Line Taxis sign on its roof.

“For us it’s upsetting to have had a vehicle stolen. We do a lot of work transporting students to Broadmayne School and SEN students to Westfield Arts College.

“We are still able to serve those routes, but it means children won’t be able to get their regular driver.”

Ms White said of 12 years working in the taxi business, she had never come across a vehicle being stolen.

Mr Lauren said: “Can anyone with any information please come forward and can people keep an eye out for the vehicle. I would very much like it returned to me so I can return to my normal working pattern.”

Police enquiries are underway, anyone with any information, including witnesses, should get in contact with Dorset Police by calling 101 quoting the reference number 26-168.