Williton resident Dawn-Lesley Howes saved up for three years to buy her Honda car – and this week someone threw paint-stripper over it.

Her car, parked in her driveway in North Croft, was one of two that were attacked on Monday night or Tuesday morning and the other vehicle is a write-off.

No-one seems to have witnessed the attack, so Dawn-Lesley is appealing for any information that could help the police track down the vandals.

She said Williton PCSO Sue Thompson had been ‘amazing’ and was determined to get to the bottom of the matter: “She’s been talking to the neighbours and looking to see if anyone has a doorbell with a video.”

Dawn-Lesley did not hear anything in the night and did not notice what had happened until later on Tuesday: “I was taking my dog, Oscar, to work with me, so was more focused on getting his basket and toys into the car than looking at the roof or paintwork.

“As I got to work, I noticed what I thought was sugared water on the windscreen and thought the Halloween pranksters were starting early. It wasn’t until I came out of work that I saw the paint was bubbling, so I raced home to turn on the hosepipe.

“I’m not easily riled but I was so cross, and still am, that my poor dog didn’t know what was going on!”

Both Dawn-Lesley’s Honda and her neighbour’s car are black, but different makes, and they do not live next door to each other: “My poor neighbour got the worst of it – I think the stripper must have been thrown over his car first because every panel has been totalled,” she said.

Now Dawn-Lesley has to go to her nearest approved garage – in Weston-super-Mare – and pay £300 for repairs: “For me, that’s three months’ spending money.

“My car is gorgeous. I knew exactly which one I wanted and I saved every single spare penny for three years to buy it outright.

“I’m just so cross that somebody has actually done this to me. In Williton, we have the odd bit of stupidity but nothing quite as bad as this. It makes me feel quite sick. It’s hurtful, it really is,” she said.

Anyone with any information that might help is asked to go to Williton police station: “I’m not too optimistic,” said Dawn-Lesley. “But I’d be so grateful to anyone who can give the police any information at all.”