A BOLTON motorist was left fuming after a brazen conman arranged for his car to be towed away for scrap for £30.

Jason Jedrzejewski parked his Peugeot 106 outside his flat in Claremont Court, Halliwell.

But when he returned to his parking spot, the car had vanished.

At first, he thought it had been stolen.

But after asking neighbours if they had seen anything suspicious, he discovered that a tow truck from Metro Salvage Ltd in Halliwell had been seen removing the car on the instructions of a mystery customer.

He immediately went to the scrapyard to get his car back - but found that the roof had already been flattened.

He had only purchased the N-registered car two weeks earlier for £600.

Mr Jedrzejewksi, aged 34, said: "I can't believe someone can approach a scrapyard without car keys or documentation and ask them to take away a car.

"But that is what happened."

The motorway maintenance worker now says he has had to take time off because he cannot get to work.

He said: "The scrapyard said that they towed the car away because the person had legitimately scrapped another car there before.

"I am without a car and it is going to take a while before the insurance company pays out. Because the car has been scrapped, I am told I am not entitled to a courtesy car, I can only get one if the car is in for repair."

Mr Jedrzejewksi has called for the law to be changed to prevent scrapyards from destroying cars without first seeing proof of ownership.

Staff at Metro Salvages in Top Waterloo Street, Halliwell, confirmed that they had taken possession of the vehicle.

Les Lovatt, of the firm, said: "We are very sorry for what has happened, but we are working within the law.

"This person who told us about the car has brought cars here before legitimately and we knew him.

"It is often the case that people have lost their documents and do not leave their keys. Because we knew this customer, we trusted him.

"He drove in the tow truck and gave his correct name and address. If we do not know the customer, then we do ask for proof of ownership."

He added: "What has happened is a very rare occurrence. We are operating like any scrapyard in the country and it just happened that this person came to us."

The scrapyard has now offered to provide another car for Mr Jedrzejewski.

A spokesman for the DVLA confirmed that it was up to scrapyards to set their own policy with regard to documentation.

"What the owner has to do is notify the DVLA the car has been scrapped," said the spokesman.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that they were investigating reports of a car being stolen.

"Inquiries are ongoing," she said.