A YOUNG family who have just moved from Bristol to Lower Soudley could have been blown to bits after a thief drilled holes in their car's fuel tank.

Running on empty, Shelley Swift and her husband Doug and two-week-old baby Olivia called at the Tesco petrol station and pumped £55-worth into the tank before realising something was wrong.

"The petrol all poured out into the forecourt. Tesco had to shut the petrol station and loaded up bags of sand to try to soak it up," said Shelley.

"After we were towed back home we learrned two holes had been drilled in the side of the petrol tank for sombody to syphon out the petrol – I guess this would have happened after 4pm on Friday night which was when we last used the car."

Shelley says it is the second time her car has been vandalised since moving to the village in May.

"During the bank holiday weekend at the end of June several cars down the Cinderford Road, including mine were vandalised where somebody had tried unsuccessfully to break into them.

"The whole central locking system is now broken on a car I only bought in January – the first brand new car I have ever owned."

Money is tight but she is now buying security equipment, she says.

"The crazy thing is that we moved from Bristol centre to the Forest to be in the countryside in peace and quiet. The thought of someone visiting us in the midle of the night is quite upsetting, so hopefully next time we will prevent them with some lights, cameras and alarms."

A police spokesman said: "The consequences of drilling into a fuel tank could be catastrophic for both the thief and owner of the car and shows the extent to which some criminals are now willing to go to steal petrol.

"We would urge anyone with information on this type of crime to get in touch with us on 0845 090 1234 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."