THE father of man who says he was robbed of £20,000 at gun point has told a court how he received a panicked phone call asking him to “sort the money”.

The victim was allegedly held at gunpoint and forced to drive from Benfleet to Stifford Clays to collect the cash by a gang.

His father gave evidence at Basildon Crown Court on Monday and told the jury his son called out of the blue at 9pm on September 13 to collect £20,000.

Jade Quinn, 34, of Norfolk Close, Canvey and Stephen Musgrove, 24, of York Road, Southend are both are on trial charged with conspiring to kidnap and conspiring to commit robbery.

Shorn Charles-Chance and Karl Curtis, both 34, of Wanstead Lane, Ilford, are on trial charged with conspire to kidnap, conspire to commit robbery and possessing imitation firearm.

Charles-Chance is also charged with blackmail.

The dad told the court: "Something did not seem right, I was looking after £50,000 for him after he sold his house in Thailand.

"I got the call from him at about 9pm and he told me to sort the money he was coming to get it and he would be about 10 minutes.

"I just went and got the money out of my safe and it was in four bundles of £10 and £20 notes. I got another call to say he was pulling up and he was not coming in.

"I opened the door and saw my son and could not see anyone else. I asked him what was the matter and what he wanted the money for but he said not to worry.

"I knew by the tone of his voice something was not right and he was not talking normally."

The case previously heard it's alleged that the next day Charles-Chance called the victim the following day and attempted to make him pay £30,000.

The court heard Charles-Chance threatened to kill the victim and his family if the money was not paid.

Speaking on Monday the father added: "I saw him the next day and I ask him again what was wrong and he said it was nothing to worry about and he seemed sort of himself.

"We went away on holiday and when we got back he then told me what had happened and I gave the CCTV from my home to the police.

"He wasn't due to come over that night and it was out of the blue."

The trial continues.