A MUM-OF-THREE says she is “heartbroken” after finding her car had been smashed in a hit and run while she was away on holiday.

Gemma Louise Barker, 26, was away in Italy with her partner when her red Audi S3 was badly damaged outside her home on White Horse Avenue, in Halstead, last Thursday.

The crash caused about £1,000 of damage.

Gemma only found out when she got back to the airport.

After arriving back in the UK on Monday she received a text message explaining to her what had happened during her trip away.

She said: “When I had landed, a message came through on my phone saying please call me urgently before you get home – don’t panic but your car has been crashed in to.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking.

“I stood in the airport sobbing to be honest.”

The single parent, who works full time as well as studying for a teaching degree, said she had really needed the holiday, but receiving the news about her car completely ruined it for her.

She said: “I am a single parent, I work full time and I am doing a uni course part time studying for my teaching degree so really needed a break.

She added: “It later turned out that my whole family had kept it a secret so that I could enjoy the holiday.”