A NORTH-EAST father and son, who disappeared from their horse box business owing customers money, have been accused of ripping off one of their own relatives.

The brother of Gary Upson, who ran Just Trucks in Darlington with his son Ryan, said he was also a victim of the pair.

Fraud squad detectives launched an investigation into the company after scores of customers came forward claiming they were owed cash or vehicles.

The Upsons have not been seen at their Banks Road premises since last month and are thought to have gone with hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Trevor Upson, from Tiptree, Essex, told The Northern Echo that he had given his brother Gary a lorry to sell for him.

"He's let me down badly," he said. "He's taken a lorry away from here and we have not been paid.

"I don't want to say how much it was worth but I have contacted detectives about it.

"I'm a victim the same as the others but it's even worse for me as it's my brother and nephew."

He said his brother had not contacted him for three or four weeks. "When I ring his mobile phone it is just going to answerphone," he added.

"I'm not expecting to see him and I don't know where he is."

Mr Upson, 73, who runs a horse box business of his own, Priory Stud, in Tiptree, said he was not close to his brother.

"I have no part of their business. I haven't seen much of him for the past 15 years up until about a year ago.

"The worse thing for me is having the same name and being in the same line of business. I have been on the same premises for 47 years and it makes me sad to think of this because I have done nothing."

A member of Darlington's racing community spoke of his surprise at the Upsons' disappearance. Ryan Upson raced cars at Croft circuit and Just Trucks was one of the sponsors of the Northern Saloon and Sports Car Championship last year.

Championship co-ordinator Phil Lee said: "Ryan came up with a deal to try to help people out without any request from us.

"He said he was enjoying his racing so much that he wanted to put something back in."