A family has posted a £500 reward for the return of their vintage camper van – stolen overnight from their drive.

Welder Matthew Gullett, 43, and his wife Laetitia were shocked last Thursday to discover the 1960 Ford Thames van had been taken from their home in Queens Road.

They believe thieves released the handbrake to move it away from the house before hotwiring it. Police are investigating.

The couple bought the van last year and were planning to use it for festivals and holidays.

Mr Gullett described it as his “pride and joy” after saving up for two years to buy it.

He said: “It has knocked me for six. We absolutely loved it. I’m gutted.

“We scrimped and saved for two years to buy it and everywhere we went people talked to me about it.

“I had my eye on it six years ago when it was in my brother’s road.

“It’s only by luck we had a chance to buy it by speaking with the previous owner.

“It has been in Whitstable for 54 years so a lot of people in the town will know it well.

“I drove all over Canterbury and Herne Bay trying to find it. I know it’s a long shot but I couldn’t do nothing.”

Mr Gullett says he posted the reward as a last-ditch measure.

The reward will be paid out if any information is passed on to police leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit.

He said: “I decided to put the reward up because I’m desperate to find it.

“For me, it is irreplaceable, it is unlikely we will be able to get another one.

“My son Ben plays football for Whitstable and his friends would all be in the back when we went to the games, so he is also devastated.

“We planned to take it everywhere and were hoping to go to lots of festivals over the summer.

“I know people might think it’s only a camper van and no-one got hurt but we absolutely loved it.”

Anyone who spotted anything suspicious has been asked to contact police on 101 and quote ZY/8866/14.