A SALISBURY family has been left “mortified and frightened” after Christmas presents were stolen from their car – parked on their driveway.

The gifts had been given to Katie Wright and her husband Martin by their family friends, for their three children Sophie, ten, Callum, eight, and Evie, five, to open on Christmas Day.

After returning to their home in New Zealand Avenue, on December 21, Mrs Wright decided she would keep the presents in the car so as to not ruin the surprise for her children.

On Friday morning Mrs Wright woke to find that the rear window of their Vauxhall Zafira had been smashed and two large sacks filled with children’s presents had been stolen.

Mrs Wright said: “It is absolutely horrible. It’s not just the fact that the presents were taken but that someone had to come onto our driveway to steal from us.”

The family say they have not wanted to stay in the house as eldest daughter Sophie is worried that the thief may return.

“It is just an invasion and it feels so personal. Sophie now doesn’t feel safe and she hasn’t wanted to be in our home, instead she wants to stay out as she has been spooked by the whole experience,” Mrs Wright said.

“She is just mortified and doesn’t want to leave our side.”

She added: “It has been a dampener on our Christmas as we are very fearful of putting presents near the window. The whole thing just feels so personal.”

Mrs Wright said that she realised she should not have left the presents in the car but that she did not want to ruin the surprise.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police confirmed that the incident took place between 8pm on December 21 and 6am on Friday morning.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.