A BELOVED camper van that has served as a home away from home for an Old Town Couple for the last decade and a half has been stolen leaving its owners distraught.

The distinctive buttercup yellow and white VW camper van disappeared over the weekend from Commonweal Road along with thousands of pounds of musical equipment. The 1982 van with around 55,0000 miles on the clock has been the prized-possession of Jennifer Berry and Jon Buckett since the year 2000 when her previous owner moved to Canada.

Jennifer revealed the van – affectionately named Buttercup – had last been seen by Jon on Friday when he parked her up at around 5.45pm.

She said: “On Monday morning he was intending to take the camper out and got to Commonweal Road and couldn’t find it. He came back and said Jen, I can’t find the camper. Most people up here have problems parking near their homes, so I told him to go and have another look.”

But after searching the whole of Old Town the grim realisation set in that Buttercup was no longer in the area at all, and she was reported as stolen to Wiltshire Police.

“It was awful, absolutely gutting,” said Jennifer.

“Just the worry and panic and the realisation that somebody had actually stolen it – the feeling of intrusion that somebody would break into your vehicle and take it away.”

She added that the couple had so many memories tied up in the van, having taken her away on a number of holidays over the years, as well as using her regularly for jaunts around the countryside.

“Just a few weeks ago instead of eating dinner at home we put it all in Tupperware and took it out on to the downs and watch the sun go down – it is a home away from home,” she said.

Also in the van when it was stolen was £2,500 worth of musical equipment including a Gallien Kruger MB150e/112 bass combo, a 4x10 Gallien Krueger Bass Cab and a Roland KC-550 keyboard amp.

The couple took to social media appealing for help to trace Buttercup and within 24 hours the post had been shared 1,000 times, resulting in potential sightings.

Buttercup is believed to have been seen driving down Goddard Avenue on Saturday between 1pm and 5pm.

It is believed it was driven down the alley way behind Goddard Avenue, exiting back onto Goddard Avenue heading towards Springfield Avenue.

Jennifer said: “People just assumed it was Jon driving, because it is such a familiar sight. We have also been told of another sighting on Monday morning at approximately 8.30am near the White Hart Pub in Stratton where it was trying to get on the A4312.”

The couple said there was barely any fuel left in the tank, so it was highly likely it would have had to refuel at some point over the weekend.

The couple are urging members of the public to keep their eyes peeled for Buttercup. She is described as being a yellow and white 1978 left-hand drive VW Camper van registered in 1982 with the number plate BTP214W. There is also a distinctive dent in the rear nearside wing on the white part.

Anyone who is approached to buy the van or any of the contents inside is asked to call Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.