A FAMILY have been left devastated after their rare £10,000 motorhome was stolen hours before they were due to embark on a weekend break.

The Thomas family from Ramsgreave were planning on enjoying the sunny weather with a trip to Ullswater in the Lake District at the weekend.

They decided to pack their T4 Karmann Gipsy VW motorhome with personal belongings and food on Thursday in order to get an early dart and beat the Friday traffic.

But when Sue, from Ramsgreave Road, went to pick up her 16-year-old son Mark from school she returned at just after 4pm to find the motorhome had been stolen.

The staff nurse at the Royal Blackburn Hospital said that earlier the same day she had been visited by a cold caller asking to tarmac her drive.

The 40-year-old, who also lives with her husband Gareth, 39, and 11-year-old daughter, Jessica, added: “I felt absolutely numb and just disbelief when I realised what had happened.

"Even now I’m discovering little things that we left in the van which have gone.

“I feel disgusted that someone could do that to another human being just for financial gain.

"It was an extension of our home and we spent nearly every weekend in it.”

The left-hand drive white motorhome registration K548 EUX, with the words Gipsy written on the right-hand side, is one of only six in the UK after being imported from Germany.

It had a caravan store awning, bike rack, black bonnet bra and rear ladder fitted.

The Karmann production number is 92146 and the VIN number is WV2ZZZ70ZNH023870.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward and would like to speak to the builder who called at the house at around 1pm on Thursday.

He is described as white, 5ft 6ins tall, late 40s to early 50s, greying hair with a tan. He was wearing glasses.

Anyone with information should call Clitheroe police on 01200 443 344 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.