A family missed out on their holiday after a thief stole their passports, plane tickets and spending money.

Paul Hackett arranged the surprise holiday to Tenerife to help his partner Lisa Hackett overcome post-natal depression.

The couple, with their daughters Georgia, three, and Madison, two, were staying overnight in Crawley before flying from Gatwick the following day.

The thief struck after Lisa decided to leave the Travelodge at Lowfield Heath, just before midnight, to get some food.

She got lost in Crawley town centre and stopped to ask a man for directions.

Paul, 44, a psychiatric nurse from Cheshire, said: "We had an electrical fault in the car and the windows wouldn't open so she had to open the door to ask for help.

"The man started to give her directions and then saw her handbag on the passenger seat and leaned over and snatched it.

"It had all our passports, air tickets and £300 spending money. Lisa was very shocked. I tried to get emergency passports but I was unable to do so."