Jamie Oliver's £300,000 "world's best cheddar" stolen
Cheddar worth more than the average UK house price taken from Essex farm
Celebrity chef offers reward for information after "devastating" theft
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has offered a reward for information after thieves stole £300,000 worth of cheddar cheese from his Essex farm.
The cheese, which Oliver described as the "world's best cheddar", was taken from a locked cheese room at his farm in Clavering on Wednesday night.
Oliver said the theft was a "devastating blow" to his business and appealed for help in catching the thieves.
The stolen cheese was a 12-year-old cheddar that Oliver had been maturing for sale at his restaurant chain, Jamie's Italian.
Oliver said the cheese was "irreplaceable" and that he had been working on it for years.
The theft has been reported to the police and Oliver has offered a £10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the thieves.
The stolen cheese is described as being a "deep golden color with a rich, nutty flavor".
It is believed to be the most expensive cheddar cheese in the world.
The average house price in the UK is £278,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.
This means that the stolen cheese is worth more than the average UK house price.
The theft is a major blow to Oliver's business.
His restaurant chain, Jamie's Italian, has been struggling in recent years.
The chain has closed several restaurants in recent months and Oliver has been forced to inject £15 million of his own money into the business.
The theft of the cheese is likely to make it even more difficult for Oliver to turn around the fortunes of his restaurant chain.