A Bradford businessman has told of his terror after being locked in a shipping container by two youths.

Mohan Sangha, a partner at manufacturing firm Sangha Metrology, was locked in with engineer Terry Brown, one of his employees, on Thursday. The men are pictured at the firm.

Just hours later the container, which was full of machines included milling machines, lathes and grinding machines, worth £30,000, was stolen.

Mr Sangha says the firm, in Laisterdyke, may be forced to shut its doors after facing the two major incidents in just 24 hours.

He said: "We had filled the container with machines ready for it to be collected and then shipped abroad to India.

"I was inside the container with one of my staff, double checking everything was correct, when two youths shut the doors and locked us in.

"We pleaded with them not to, but they went ahead. Fortunately I had my mobile phone on me so I was able to call the police and friends to come and help us.

"When my friends arrived they found that not only had the doors been shut but they had padlocked us in as well.

"While my friends tried to force the lock some youths came over to them and offered to give them the key in return for £5.

"My friends went to try to get a saw to cut through the lock and when they returned the lock had been removed and taken away.

"It was incredibly frightening and I am so lucky that I had my phone on me or else I could be dead.

"The fire brigade came and let us out. In all we were in the container for three quarters of an hour. It was a terrible experience"

Shaken by the incident, Mr Sangha stayed late on site finishing up work.

He added: "The container was not collected that day, as it should have been, and I ended up staying at the factory for a while but when I went home for a few hours to freshen up it was stolen.

"Whoever did it must have been very organised as the container was 40 foot long and alone weighs around 25 tonnes. With all the machines inside it would have weighed more like 40 or 50 tonnes."

The firm, which makes engineering instruments, was set up in 1990. It employs four people.

Mr Sangha added: "When we moved into the unit we replaced all the windows and tidied if up. Now it has got to the stage were windows are broken so often I do not have the heart to keep replacing them.

"With these two incidents on top of everything else I am not sure we can keep the firm going.

"There very easily could have been two dead bodies discovered if I hadn't been able to raise the alarm."

Mr Sangha is offering a reward of £1,000 to anyone who can give the police information which leads to the recovery of all the stolen property.

Anyone with information about either of the incidents is asked to call the police on (01274) 376459