POLICE officers had to smash the window of a truck in a bid to bring help to a lorry driver who had been parked up in the borough, but they discovered he had already died.

Emergency services were alerted to the vehicle at Purfleet Truck Stop on Botany Way after staff there became concerned that it has been parked up past its expected departure time and they could not see its driver.

The lorry arrived on Thursday (2 March) and was due to depart the following day but it was still there on Saturday.

Police attended and decided to break into the cab, where they discovered the body of a 41-year-old man. The ambulance service were called but it was confirmed the driver was dead.

The incident is not being treated as suspicious.