Cabbie's lost and found gifts joy

Reunited at last: Dean Watkins and his presents at Barry police station

They were the presents lost in a taxi which could have left one father very disappointed on Christmas Day.

The discovery of three wrapped gifts marked "to dad" in the cab even led to a police plea for information.

But now their owner has turned up... none other than the taxi driver, Dean Watkins, who put them in the fleet cab's boot and forgot where they were.

The confusion arose when another cabbie found the presents and handed them in to police in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

Police then issued an appeal for the recipient of the gifts to contact them after they were discovered at A-2-B Taxis in Barry.

Mr Watkins said he had no idea where the presents had gone until he told colleagues about the loss five days after Christmas.

I hadn't told my son I'd lost the presents so it's great I've finally got them back Dean Watkins

But he said he was "extremely happy" the presents had been found.

He kept the car at home overnight on Christmas Eve after finishing work and went to see his son Luke and his family in Barry on Christmas Day.

"He gave me his Christmas presents and I just put them in the boot and forgot about them," he said.

"I had no idea where they had gone."

Mr Watkins then returned the car to A-2-B Taxis. Eventually a colleague found his presents in the boot and they were handed in to police.

"I realised I'd lost the presents on Boxing Day," said Mr Watkins. "I made a few inquiries when I'd realised they'd gone but I had started to give up hope on them," he said.

"I hadn't told my son I'd lost the presents so it's great I've finally got them back."

Mr Watkins, who has been working for the firm for only three weeks, said he was going to set aside some quiet time to open the gifts.

"I am just glad they have been found," he said. "I could so easily have lost them permanently."