Mini fanatic Fred Richardson was devastated when his four-wheel pride and joy was written off in a road accident.

So he was stunned when he spotted the red-and-white car he thought was scrap roll past him as part of the annual London to Brighton Mini run last month.

In an echo of the story Goldilocks And The Three Bears, Mr Richardson was left asking, "Who's that sitting in my car?"

He is so furious he has twice contacted the Vehicle Licensing Authority in Swansea to ask them that very question.

The 86-year-old, from Charles Kingston Gardens in Brighton, has driven Minis since they began rolling off the production line in 1962.

He bought his last Mini Cooper in 1994 and drove it until someone skidded into the back of it on Christmas Eve.

Insurance company Liverpool Victoria wrote to tell him it was a write-off and it was towed away on January 31.

Mr Richardson, who spent many years of his working life with Seeboard, said: "When the insurance people got their people to check it they said it was a write-off. They would not repair it because it would be too costly.

"Then I was waiting for a bus one Sunday a few weeks ago and watching the procession of Minis going past.

"I said to a lady there that I used to own one of those and then I spotted my number plate.

"It was identical to my car although I didn't have a chance to see who was driving it.

"I thought, 'How can it be driven after being written off?'

"It was meant to be broken up for parts.

"I don't know who got it repaired. If it could be repaired and is on the road now, why did the insurance people not repair it when it was mine?"

"They don't make the old-fashioned ones any more.

"Maybe this is the only way of getting hold of one."

Mr Richardson has been without a car since Christmas.

He received just over £2,000 from his insurers after the accident.

His misfortune has only served to strengthen his 50-year love affair with the Mini.

He said: "I don't want a large car, I just want something so I can get my sister out, do her shopping and collect her pension.

"I don't know why they stopped making the old-style Mini.

"They are convenient, cheap to run, good for single people and good for places with parking problems."

A spokeswoman for Bournemouth-based Liverpool Victoria said: "When a car is written off it usually means the cost of repair outweighs its market value.

"We pay the owner what the car is worth and a third party takes it away and pays us what the salvage is worth.

"When it is written off the number plate should disappear with that car but sometimes when the car is looked at more closely it might be found to be saveable.

"The salvage people may have looked at this Mini and decided to put in a totally new engine or sold it on to someone else.

"I can imagine if it was a particular car that was very identifiable, this could be quite upsetting."