Kate Garraway has had her Volkwagen Beetle crushed over a failure to pay its road tax.

Since contracting tendonitis during her rehearsals for Strictly Come Dancing Kate was unable to drive the car and so parked it near her house, failing to realise that she had forgotten to pay its road tax.

A friend of Garraway said: “Kate has been in agony with tendonitis and was banned from driving by her doctor. She couldn’t even walk, let alone drive.

“So the car was just sitting around the corner. She didn’t even know it had been taken until a few days ago and really thought it was still at the pound.

“Kate is gutted, she really loved that car. It must be worth about £10,000 and there were personal items in it.

“She understands she was negligent, but it’s due to everything that’s going on.”