Lowestoft 'Thomas the Tank Engine' land train stolen Published duration 19 July 2018

image copyright Darren Weavers image caption A friend of the owner said the land train may have been taken to Scotland

A land train that carries thousands of holiday visitors up and down the seafront at a Suffolk resort has been stolen.

The popular attraction was taken from its Lowestoft home on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, police said.

It was secured in a container stored between Kensington Gardens and St Mary's Catholic Primary School.

"A large lorry with a crane would have been required to move it," Darren Weavers, a friend of the owner, said.

"We have reason to believe it is on its way to Scotland. It was parked up around 16:30 BST on Tuesday secured in the container."

Raiders forced their way in to the blue shipping container, police said.

The land train has a distinctive blue "locomotive" with a Thomas the Tank Engine face, an orange canopy and two passenger carriages.

Police have appealed for witnesses and information about the theft.