After spending thousands of pounds over 10 years, mini-mad Nick Bennett thought he was finally motoring after restoring a 1978 version of the iconic model.

But the wheels have come off the dream for the trainee supermarket manager after thieves stole the tartan red car, nicknamed the “Minibeast.”

The 24-year-old from Dudley says he is “gutted”, especially as he won’t be able to join in the London to Brighton mini rally in May which he has completed for the past five years.

Mr Bennett, who works at Tesco in Cradley Heath, bought the car which has a 850CC engine from a neighbour when he was aged 15 and, after passing his driving test, has lovingly restored it with the help of a friend.

He said: “It has been a labour of love and I am pretty gutted it has been stolen.

“There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears which went into restoring that car so it feels like a part of me is missing.

“I was not at all interested in minis but there is just something about them that once you have one they become addictive and they are ace cars to drive.”

Since buying the mini, Mr Bennett has spent more than £8,000 repairing the rusty white banger, which had no floor panels, and replacing the doors. He said his mini was usually kept in the garage at his home in Netherton.

Prior to the theft the car had been parked outside a relative’s house in nearby Weavers Rise while his garage was being used as storage. It was stolen from the address on Sunday and Mr Bennett says he thinks a loader truck was used by thieves as the security system would have made it impossible to start the engine.

His brother Chris Bennett, aged 25, is also a fan of the small car and owns a 1983 Mini Mayfair and a 1997 Rover Cooper.