A MAN is counting the cost after vandals doused his car in paint stripper. The incident happened while Ben Erwood was visiting his parents’ home in Welsdene Road, Garlinge, near Margate.

Mr Erwood, 27, a former resident of Garlinge, who now lives in Hertfordshire, parked his dark blue G-registered Volkswagen Golf in the High Street for about an hour. When he returned he noticed a syrupy, gel like substance on the bonnet, and on both rear wings.

As he got closer he noticed the paint had blistered. Mr Erwood took the car to the nearest car wash, but by the time he had warned the garage assistant of the situation, the paint had begun to liquefy. Mr Erwood said: “At first I thought it was brake fluid or battery acid, but it have since found out that it was car paint stripper, the type used in bodyshops. It has stripped the first layer of paint from the bonnet, boot, both wings and one of the doors. In some parts there is bare metal.

“It will be out of action for weeks, and because the paint is metallic, it will cost more.”

He is now waiting for his insurers to calculate exactly how much the car will cost to respray, although they estimate it will be in the region of £500.

Mr Erwood, a computer expert, grew up in Thanet before moving away to work. He says cannot think of any reason why his car was targeted.

A spokeswoman for Thanet Police, who are investigating the attack said: “We are allocating an officer to this case.

“We would ask anyone who knows who poured this substance onto Mr Erwood’s car, or why, to please let us know.”