A man said he was left “absolutely gutted” after discovering his rare mobile home and valuable life possessions had been stolen.

Kim Sandwell, 57, of Poitiers, France, who travelled to the UK in his three-year-old German Deffleffs motor home to sell his Chigwell property and transport his furniture back to France, called the police yesterday morning after discovering the vehicle had gone.

The home, which was parked between two cars outside Mr Sandwell’s mother’s home in Faversham Drive, Chigwell, is believed to have been stolen overnight.

The antiques enthusiast stayed at the house to care for his sick mother.

The vehicle, which Mr Sandwell believes is only one of two made in the world, was stolen with a trailer attached and an estimated £90,000 worth of antique furniture and belongings inside.

He said: “I was meant to have gone back to France last weekend but I stuck around because I was looking after my mum who isn’t very well.

“I stayed in her house that night and when I walked outside at about 10am and I was in disbelief.

“I looked at the empty space about three times and kept thinking, ‘am I seeing things?’

“I am absolutely gutted; everything I own was in there from furniture to my shoes.

“I keep going to get something then remembering it was in the motor home, not only was it my home but it contains all of my memories.

"I just pray people will keep an eye out for my home and the items stolen, they could be anywhere.

“I don’t understand how the thieves got it out, it was parked in such a tight spot and it is the size of an articulated lorry with the trailer attached.

"I would have struggled to move it myself.”

The home, with the number plate FX59 AUF, is a Duffleffs Sunlight Ford Transit motor home in white with grey and red detailing and was stolen with a white Blueline trailer, which contained Mr Sandwell’s property.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “we received a report that a motor home and trailer had been stolen from an address in Faversham Close, Chigwell on the evening of March 8.

“Our enquiries are continuing.”

Anyone with information on the theft or the whereabouts of the vehicle is asked to call Essex Police on 101.