An interior designer is offering a Volvo as a reward after his rare classic car was stolen.

John Anderson left his 1950 black Ford V8 Pilot in his garage, barricaded behind another car and perched on wheel blocks.

When he returned to the garage he found thieves had lifted the car from the blocks and manoeuvred it past the other vehicle, leaving only the hub caps behind.

Mr Anderson, from Brighton, said: "They have gone to tremendous lengths to get to it and must have taken it away on the back of a trailer.

'They obviously appreciate the potential value of the car. It was a lovely vehicle to drive. I used it two or three times a week. It's a wonderful car."

Mr Anderson is well known in the city for his work as an interior designer, having created schemes for the Greenhouse Effect bar and restaurant Topolino Duo, both in Church Road, Hove.

He had spent more than £3,500 restoring the Ford Pilot, which is believed to be one of only 200 left in the country.

He is offering his Volvo as a reward for anyone with information that could lead to the thieves being caught.

Mr Anderson said the thieves would run into trouble when they realised the renovation of the car, stolen in Torquay, Devon, was not finished.

He is hoping someone will recognise his car when it is taken to a garage.