Thieves stole a haul of euros from an armoured van in Germany yesterday in the first major theft of the new single currency just days after deliveries began.

The 35-year-old driver of the Securicor van and an unknown accomplice overpowered the co-driver and tied him up.

Security is a major concern in the launch of the euro. The European Central Bank held off revealing the final design of the notes, including their security features, until last week to deter would-be counterfeiters.