A donation page set up for the family of a Polish lorry driver who died during the Berlin market attack has raised almost £45,000 in one day.

Lukasz Urban, 37, was murdered by the attacker after his truck was hijacked shortly before it was driven into the market, killing 12 and injuring 50. The trucker was reportedly on his way home to his wife, Zuzanna, and their 17-year-old-son when he was attacked.

David Duncan, a British lorry driver from Leeds, set up the fundraising page after reading reports of how Mr Urban had heroically fought with the terrorist seconds before the truck drove into the crowd. Police are looking for a suspect who has been named as 24-year-old Tunisian Anis Amri.

Mr Duncan wrote: “Although I did not know Lukasz, the story of his untimely departure shocked and disgusted me, and I cannot comprehend how his family feel at this awful time.

“So, as a fellow trucker, I decided to reach out to the trucking community and beyond to help in some small way.

“No amount of money will bring Lukasz back, but hopefully it will help his family do whatever they need to do.”

The page was set up by Mr Duncan in the name of “The Truckers of the UK and beyond”.

Investigators believe the injuries Mr Urban sustained are consistent with him being alive and fighting with his attacker in the moments before the truck crashed into the crowded market.

A unnamed police officer told German newspaper Bild: "He must have put up some fight."

Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Show all 18 1 /18 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Several people have been killed after a lorry drove into crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'At least nine' people have been killed and more than 50 injured. AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency Services rush a Berlin market victim to an ambulance Associated Press Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Police cordoned off the square at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church following the incident REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers inspect the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin EPA Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency crews inspect the lorry that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market, killing at least nine people AFP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Fire crews attend the scene of the attack AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Armed police secure the site of a lorry attack at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Crushed debris is visible beneath the wheels of the vehicle REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack An injured man is pushed to an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Medics attend an injured person after the lorry attack which killed at least nine and injured more than 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters examine the lorry which was rammed into a Berlin Christmas market REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack A person is carried into an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack View of the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least nine and injuring at least 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher to an ambulance Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters assess the damage after the lorry rammed the Christmas market, killing 'at least nine', and injuring more than 50 people AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters stand beside a toppled Christmas tree at the site of the suspected terrorist attack in a Berlin Christmas market AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Damaged stalls at the scene of the incident at a Berlin Christmas market where at least nine people have been killed EPA

Officers think Mr Urban was wrestling with the attacker when he was shot dead. He had also been repeatedly stabbed.

His cousin, Ariel, who owns the trucking company Lukasz worked for, told the Daily Mail: “It was really clear he was fighting for his life.

“His face was swollen and bloodied. Police informed me that he had suffered gunshot wounds. Despite being stabbed he was shot dead.

“I believe he would not give up the vehicle and would defend it to the end if he were attacked.”

The truck was hijacked after Mr Urban reportedly stopped for a kebab.

Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack on the market and a huge manhunt for suspect Anis Amri is underway.