A THACKLEY couple who were left distruaght after their 'labour of love' camper van was stolen overnight on Thursday/Friday, are rejoicing after hearing it has been found.

Louise Cooke and her partner, Josh, who are both teachers, spent 10 months of lockdown lovingly fitting out the van so they could use it for holidays and weekends away.

But on Friday, June 25, they awoke to find it had gone without trace from where it had been parked on the corner of Hyde Street, off Leeds Road, Thackley, and immediately contacted the police.

Louise said: "We had been so upset thinking we wouldn't see it again. It had cost us everything we had and wouldn't have the time to start again."

And then just this afternoon (Sunday), a woman rang to say she was certain our van was parked outside her father's hosue in Hunslet.

"We were amazed and thrilled too. The police have taken it away for forensics. The dashboard is out where they've hotwired it and it will need a new ignition, but at least we are going to get it back. I can't explain how thrilled we both are.

"The woman who called us to say she had found it was just as excited," Louise added.

"We really want to thank people who read the social media posts and kept an eye open. We are very grateful because we were desperate to get it back."