CHIPPENHAM NEWS: A COUPLE are offering a £1,000 reward for the return of their beloved caravan that disappeared just before they were due to set off on holiday.

Sonia Young, 47, and her lorry driver husband David, 46, of Hatton Way, Corsham, think they could be the latest victims of professional thieves who steal caravans to order.

They bought their six-berth Hobby 650 Exclusive caravan, worth about £5,000, three months ago and are still paying back a £2,000 loan for it.

They have advertised the theft on auction website eBay, where they have offered a £1,000 reward for its return.

Mrs Young, who works part time for the Ministry of Defence, said: "It was all loaded ready for the weekend. It had clothes, duvets, sleeping bags, beers, a picnic table, BBQ, CD player and my whole music collection in it.

"Whatever you would have in a house was in there. It was like losing your home and it's just horrible to think of somebody going through your things."

Caravanning is the couple's favourite pastime. They used to go camping but saved up and bought their first caravan five years ago, then traded it in for a bigger model earlier this year.

It is fitted out with a double bedroom, dining area, kitchen, bathroom and lounge, and they head off on a trip every few weeks.

Mrs Young said: "Now I don't think we will ever see it again. I think it has gone now and I don't think I would want it now because

someone else has been in there."

The caravan, which was not insured, was stolen between Monday and Wednesday last week from a farm off Guyers Lane, where the 25ft white caravan with a blue stripe had been stored out of sight from the road.

She said: "I think they are professionals taking them to order. There were plenty of other caravans there that weren't taken but ours was the sort of size you could live in."

She said: "It had been our dream to own a caravan like this. We saved up for it and took a loan for some of it, for about £2,000.

"I'm absolutely gutted. My summer is finished. I think it will be a couple of years before we can get another one."

Dave Cullop, inspector of Corsham Police, said four other caravans had been stolen from the Corsham area since February.

He said they were keeping an open mind about the motive behind the thefts.