A PICKERING man who was assaulted by thieves breaking into his lorry chased his attackers down the road before they turned on him, police said today.

The 41-year-old lorry driver was parked in Valley Farm Road, Stourton, Leeds, last Wednesday evening, when he was attacked, receiving serious head injuries.

Detective Superintendent Jim Bancroft, who is heading the investigation, said: "He had parked there about 5pm after collecting a load from a terminal in order to get an early start the following day.

"He had got out of his lorry and been with a friend, then returned to the lorry."

Det Supt Bancroft said he believed the driver, who is in a critical condition in Leeds General Infirmary, disturbed the thieves as they were breaking into the back of his vehicle. A metal storage container on the lorry had been forced open and some property stolen.

But Det Supt Bancroft said police were not yet releasing details of exactly what was taken, or the name of the driver.

"It was an extremely serious injury," he said today.

A major incident room has been set up at Holbeck Police Station in Leeds, and 25 officers are working on the incident, indicating the severity of the man's injuries.

"He did act with a commendable amount of courage, chasing the people who were breaking into his lorry 100 yards down the road," added Det Sup Bancroft.

Minor thefts in the area from lorries parked up for the night were not uncommon, he said.

"What's unusual is for someone to use the amount of violence that was used in this attack.

"This was a bit of pilfering from the back of a lorry and they have used an inordinate level of violence."

Police are continuing to examine CCTV footage, said Det Sup Bancroft.

Anyone with information about the assault, which took place after 10.30pm, is asked to phone the incident room on 0113 2414717.

Updated: 10:23 Wednesday, March 26, 2003