You really can’t make this stuff up. I came outside one day expecting to see my car sitting where I’d parked it, instead I found a mineshaft had opened up under the only car in the car park… mine. Half the Mini is now hanging in the hole, damaged and stuck, and no one’s quite sure how to recover it without it disappearing completely.

I spent over a year saving for that car and put everything I had into making it perfect, fresh paint (yes the bonnet is rusty on purpose, I wanted the rat look on it but its not got a dent on it and the rest of the paint is immaculate), full mechanical overhaul, the works. It passed its MOT just two weeks ago with flying colours, and the mechanic even told me it was the nicest Mini he’d ever had on the ramp. Two weeks later, the Earth apparently decided it wanted a go.

I’d finally felt like I was getting somewhere, I had a reliable little car that was economical, only £20 a year to tax, and easy to keep on the road. It meant I could finally focus on trying to save up to take my daughter on her dream trip to Japan one day. She’s always wanted to go because she loves anime and wants to be an artist and voice actor for it when she’s older. She’s got such a natural talent for drawing, especially anime, and it would have been her first real holiday ever, aside from the odd caravan trip or a train ride to London years ago.

I’ve been on a low rate of disability for years after the NHS gave me the wrong medication, and when they tried to fix that mistake, they managed to make it worse, three operations later I was left in more pain and less able to work than before. The debts from all of that have been brutal, and although I’m paying them off, it leaves very little to live on each month.

I live alone with custody of my daughter and the car was a big part of our day to day life. It wasn’t just transport, it was something I’d built up with pride, something that gave me a bit of freedom and joy when not much else has been going right, My daughter tells everyone "That's my dads car!" every time she see's it and tells me all the time how its the best car we've ever owned (or was).

I do still have a way to get around for now, but losing this car feels like another blow I really didn’t need. I’m trying to stay positive, because if you don’t laugh, you cry.

I don’t really expect this fundraiser to work, but I figured it’s worth a try because if you try, there’s a chance it doesn’t work… but if you don’t try, it definitely won’t.

If anyone can help, even a little, I’d be more grateful than you know. And hey, at least I can say my Mini went out in style, not everyone can claim their car was eaten by the Earth itself.

Feel free to rip into me in the comments for even having the cheek to make this, I deserve it lol.