A VINTAGE car which was 'part of the family' and due to be passed down for generations to come has been stolen.

The rare 1967 series 1 MK2 Cortina Lotus was taken from an isolated lock up at Hergest, near Kington, last month and its owners are desperate to see it returned.

Colin Shailes has owned the car for 27 years and his son Russell, who lives in Presteigne, was working on the classic vehicle during the winter.

It is thought that the vintage model was taken sometime between January 13 and 23 and could have been taken either through Kington or down the back roads to Hay-on-Wye.

"I was doing welding work on it during the winter," said Russell.

"When I turned up on Sunday the lock had been cut off the door and they had taken the car and trailer as well. My dad brought the vehicle 27-years-ago so it has been around as long as I remember.

"When he brought it we agreed that it would never get sold and it would get passed down through the generations. "It's not so much a car but more part of the family. It was a big present that my dad brought himself all them years back."

Mr Shailes said that so far there had been one unconfirmed sighting and it was being towed by a pick up/4x4 style car near Leominster.

The cortina was stolen using a Brian James trailer bearing the number plate DN55FKL.

The car is fitted with minilite replica wheels with new debica tyres, it has some blistering under the paint and has red paint marks on the passenger door.

The vintage model has 1600e seats fitted which are very different to the lotus seats.

Russell added: "It spent a lot of time in a lock-up in Birmingham until about eight years ago when I got it back on the road and ever since we have used it for days out and trips.

"We have taken part in Kington Vintage Show, Presteigne Show and it won an award at a special 50th birthday event at Brands Hatch.

"It was well known in the shows."

Russell thinks that his lock up was checked out a few months back as it looked like someone had tried to have a look inside and wants to warn owners of similar classic cars to be vigilant.

Anyone who has any information or can recall seeing the car being moved are asked to contact West Mercia Police on 101 quoting reference number: 22EH/5514T/16