'My kids' Christmas presents were nicked - then I spotted them on Facebook'

A dad was shocked to find his children's stolen Christmas presents - on Facebook.

David Jones, 51, was left devastated when the gifts were nicked from the boot of his car earlier this month. He thought he'd never see them again and had started to buy more - until a colleague contacted him.

They showed head chef David, from Bristol, pictures of the gifts on a social media post put up by police - who were trying to find the owners. David immediately contacted Avon and Somerset police.

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And the force is now hoping to reunite the presents and their rightful owners just before Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 23). David, dad to Jess, 15, and Oli, 11, said: "I just couldn’t bring myself to tell the kids until it all came out yesterday.

“I was so taken aback when they were found – it’s just amazing and I’m grateful to everyone who’s helped get them back.”

David had been to see family in Longwell Green, Gloucestershire. on December 12 and picked up presents for his children while he was there. With plans to go to his partner’s house the next day, he decided to leave the presents in the car overnight.

But on the morning of December 13 he was shocked to discover the boot was empty – and the glove compartment of the car had been raided. So as not to upset his two children, after putting in a report to the police, he kept the missing presents a secret and hoped to buy new gifts before anyone realised.

He said: “I thought all the presents were gone – I didn’t know what to do. It's Christmas and it would have been