A RELIEVED family was handed a present just in time for Christmas as police recovered their stolen car.

Paul Greenhalgh had left his son Peter's car outside Marshall BMW off Wallisdown Road late on Tuesday, December 12, with it due to be serviced the next day.

The vehicle contained Peter's passport and access passes to two military bases, where he had been working as a contractor, as well as confidential documents in relation to an armoury.

After being unable to find a key deposit box for the garage, Paul decided to bury the key in a grit box along the side of the building.

With his wife keeping watch of the road while he hid the key, Paul, who lives near Salisbury, left Bournemouth believing the car would be serviced the next day.

Within an hour of leaving the site, the light blue BMW 218d sport car was being driven away from the garage.

After Paul phoned the garage to tell them where he left the key, he said he could not believe they were saying the car had been stolen.

He said: "I took a little bit of a risk doing what I did and this has happened. What can I say? I'm speechless.

"It takes the wind out of you and I really felt for my son.

"He was really annoyed at us and he was devastated about it because we have never been victims of crime. The car is his pride and joy and we're a real car family."

Fortunately, the car was found by police and they contacted the family with the good news on Christmas Eve.

The car was found at around 10am on Ringwood Road in Poole and it has been recovered by police while they carry out investigative work.

Paul said he believes the individual(s) who took the car had already been on the site when he arrived with his wife around 10.30pm.

Police said they also received reports of alloy wheels being stolen from the garage on the night of the theft.