He thought things couldn't get any worse when his car was stolen, he had to pay for its recovery, and the insurance company said he wasn't covered.

Eastern Daily Press: Jason Daly.Jason Daly. (Image: Archant)

But now Jason Daly has been slapped with a speeding fine incurred by joyriders, who stole his vehicle while he was just metres away.

The 34-year-old of Caister, says he now fears he will have to challenge the penalty in court to prove he wasn't driving when the car was clocked doing 79mph in a 30mph zone close to Norwich police station.

Mr Daly watched helplessly when two men got into his black Vauxhall Vectra and sped off in the early hours of Friday morning, January 18.

He had returned to his employer's offices in the Conge, Great Yarmouth, after a night shift collecting meat from Smithfields meat market in London.

Finding his car frozen up, he turned on the engine to defrost the windscreen, while he went to check he had locked the door - while also keeping the car in sight.

In those seconds the two opportunists jumped in and sped away.

The stolen car, a black Vauxhall Vectra, was spotted by police in Norwich, at around 4am.

It was chased by police for more than ten miles down the A47 before its occupants escaped after crashing into a field.

Since then Mr Daly, a father-of-three, has been refused a payout by his insurance company, had to find £350 to recover the car from a field in Acle, and has now been hit with a speeding fine.

Although the car has been returned to him there is nothing salvageable and he has had to borrow £500 for a small run-a-round to get him to work.

'The whole thing has got me down and depressed,' he said.

'I have been with them [the insurance company] for nine years and never made a claim.

'The way they dealt with me it was more like an interrogation as if I had stolen the car.

'They have turned me down because I did not do enough to stop the theft which I think is absolutely disgusting.

'Every morning people leave their cars running and it is wrong that insurance companies are using this to get out of paying.'

Police are keen to hear from anyone with information.

Call 101 quoting CAD reference 38 with and the January 18 date, or contact Sgt Joe Simon.