DJ Simon Bates made a right mess of things when he turned into a White Van Man on a visit to his family farm in Shropshire.He forgot to lock the back doors of his van – and £800 worth of recording gear spilled out onto the hard shoulder when he drove onto the M54 at Shifnal.

But the Classic FM presenter got everything back safely after a mystery Good Samaritan forced him to a halt, hijacker-style.

The drama happened on Saturday when he collected some items from the family farm at Tong to take down to his own farm in Devon.

“Just as I was coming off the slip road onto the M54, there was a scene like something out of The Persuaders,” he said.

“A Ford Fiesta slammed across in front of me, hazard lights flashing, and forced me to a halt.

“I thought at first, in my excitement, that I was being hijacked.

“But then I realised that things were cascading out of the back of my van. I must have looked a complete loon.

“I lost a couple of chairs and a load of electrical equipment – enough to build an effective small digital studio.”

The embarrassed presenter nipped out of his van and managed to collect his belongings which were littered all over the hard shoulder. But by this time, the public-spirited Fiesta driver had left the scene.

“I only wish I had been able to thank him personally. He saved me an awful lot of money,” the DJ said. “I’m obviously hopeless as a White Van Man – I’d forgotten to lock the back doors.”