A pretty chef has lost all her possessions after her flatmate loaded everything she owns into the WRONG car – which then drove off.
Gutted Faye Pounder, 25, was moving house when her flatmate Paul Robbins offered to carry her bags downstairs and load them into her white Citroen Xsara Picasso.
But he mistakenly opened the boot of an identical SILVER Xsara Picasso which was parked outside their flat and left unlocked by its owner.
He dutifully loaded all of Faye’s belongings into the car – over £3,000 worth of clothes, documents, computers, and keepsakes.
But when Faye emerged from the rented property a few hours later she was horrified to discover her car was sitting empty – while the silver Citroen had disappeared.
She is now appealing to the owner of the other car to come forward and reunite her with her possessions.
Faye said: ”It is an absolute nightmare. Everything of importance was in that car, I’d packed everything apart from the pots and pans which are useful but have no value.
”When I woke up the next morning I felt sick. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, it was just too awful to think about.
”The worst part is that my fiance had bought tickets for Alton Towers on Tuesday as a birthday treat for me but they were packed so we just sat at home instead.
”It is one of those things that you never, ever imagine happening but I suppose it is quite funny in a way.”
The debacle began after gastropub chef Faye packed up her bags at her flat in Stokes Croft, Bristol, on Monday (04/09).
She was moving to Cornwall with fiance Ali Walker, 31, to be closer to her family.
Flatmate Paul offered to load up her car while Faye stayed in the flat and packed her last few things.
Among the items he packed into the silver Citroen was a £2,000 record collection, cameras, make-up, clothes, shoes and all her personal financial documents.
Paul only realised his mistake when he went back outside a few hours later to find the silver car had vanished.
”At first our flatmate told us that our car had been stolen,” said Faye.
”We rushed down the stairs and were relieved when we saw the car – but then we realised it was completely empty.”
Faye and barman Ali were forced to drive down to Cornwall on Tuesday without her possessions.
They are now living with Faye’s mum Daphne Pounder, a hotel owner from Penzance.
The couple were planning a ”once in a lifetime” trip to Thailand over the Christmas and New Year period – which could be delayed as Faye’s passport was packed.
Faye, who now works at gastro-pub the First and Last Inn in Sennen, Penzance, added: ”We were so excited about moving and now everything has been ruined.
”We just can’t believe how stupid our flatmate was. How could he not have noticed what he was doing?
”I have given up all hope that we will ever get anything back, to be honest. Even if somebody was that kind it would probably not be for months.
”The person must have noticed the bags though, they can probably see them in their rear view mirror and feel the weight of the bags in the car.”
Faye and Ali, who are set to marry next summer, are appealing for any information about the incident in Stokes Croft, Bristol, at around 1pm on Monday.
Nice dress.