A WINE merchant is offering a £1,000 reward after alcohol worth thousands of pounds was stolen.

Jonathan Cocker, from Ilkley wine merchant Martinez, was left devastated when hundreds of bottles of wine worth thousands of pounds were taken from outside a warehouse in Langbar.

A pallet of Burgundy containing nearly 600 bottles, with a total value of £6,500, was taken overnight on November 8 to 9 after it was left in a secluded area.

The wine had been delivered by a transport company after being brought over from France. It should have then been taken into the warehouse by local staff but was mistakenly left outside. Mr Cocker said the wine had been placed away from sight down a corridor in amongst units.

After the theft Mr Cocker appealed to the public to keep an eye out for the wine, which was imported direct from the vineyard and is unlikely to be sold by anyone else in the area.

This week he made a fresh appeal for help and offered a reward.

He said: " As we were not covered by our insurers we are still very distraught about the pallet of wine stolen from us. It has effectively ruined our Christmas.

"We are determined to find the wine and put the culprits behind bars so in an attempt to do this we are offering a £1000 reward for any information that leads to the retrieval of the stolen wines."

He appealed to anyone with information to call him on 07971661150 or email jonathan@martinez.co.uk. He said any information could be kept confidential on request.

Alternatively ring 101, select option 2 and ask for PC Stephen Peachman, or Harrogate Police, or email stephen.peachman@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. Or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Reference number 12160203847 should be quoted.

The pallet was last seen at 8pm after being delivered on the evening of November 8. It was noticed as missing the following morning

It contained a variety of wine, including nearly 300 bottles of Domaine des Verchères Mâcon Villages 2014.

After the theft police appealed for anyone with information, or who had been offered wine for sale in suspicious circumstances, to get in touch.