INTERNET shoppers may never see their orders arrive after a delivery driver’s van was snatched from under her nose as she dropped off a parcel.

On Wednesday afternoon, at around 1.15pm, a Hermes employee was spotted on CCTV arriving at a property in Marine Parade East, along the Clacton seafront.

Having parked her white Vauxhall van outside the address, the driver, known as Margaret, was then seen walking towards the front door to hand over a parcel.

But, while her back was turned, a man casually strolled up alongside her van, before jumping in and speeding off with undelivered items still inside.

Essex Police were immediately called to the property and are said to have then gone looking for the stolen van.

The van has since been seen being driven in the direction of Harold Road by a man wearing a woolly hat.

A spokesman for the force said: "We were called at around 1.25pm on Wednesday March 11 with reports of a theft of a white Vauxhall delivery van on Marine Parade, Clacton.

"A man described as 6ft tall wearing a woolly hat, beige or grey jogging bottoms and a rain jacket was seen driving the van towards Harold Road.

"We would like to speak to this man or anyone who was in the area around the time and saw the van."

Darren Chapman, who lives in Weeley, said the incident happened outside his mother’s house.

According to Mr Chapman, who has published CCTV footage online in a bid to catch the culprit, the Hermes worker is well-known in the area and popular with locals.

“She was very upset and phoned the police straight away – she waited on my mum’s driveway for the them to arrive,” he said.

“She is such a lovely lady and is so helpful – it is awful that one mistake has done this to her.

“The van will probably be dumped, and the parcels will be sold on, but hopefully someone will come forward.

“The people who did this are disgusting opportunists.”

Essex Police have asked anyone with information to contact them us on 101 quoting incident 527 of Wednesday 11 March.

Information can also be given completely anonymously to independent Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.