A CONMAN crushed the dreams of a Newport couple planning to take their family in Iraq on holiday.

Katie and Muhanad Al-Hardan, from Malpas, were hoping to introduce their three-year-old daughter to family members for the first time on a break in Jordan, which was scheduled for last week.

But the reunion was cut short after a cheque for £7,500 - given to the Al-Hardan's in the sale of their Volkswagen Passat - bounced on August 11.

Police are hunting the con man who used a stolen cheque in the theft of the vehicle with registration LX51 BJU.

Mother-of-two Mrs Al-Hardan, 29, said: "We have been in a daze since it happened, we just can't believe anyone could do this as we told him what the money was for.

"When I was told the cheque bounced I was crying in the bank.

"Normally, we would never have accepted a cheque but we were so desperate to get the money quickly for the holiday."

The cash would have helped pay for around ten of 39-year-old Mr Al-Hardan's relatives, who live near Baghdad, to join them in Jordan. Mrs Al-Hardan said: "There is a severe lack of food in Iraq and very few have jobs so we really wanted to give our family their first ever holiday as they have just lived through the war.

"Their standard of life is terrible and they have to barricade themselves indoors at night to stop being robbed."

Mr and Mrs Al-Hardan's heartbreak was compounded after being told by their car insurance company Sainsbury's Bank they were not covered for the theft.

A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's Bank Car Insurance said: "We are very sorry to hear about the situation but no car insurance would cover them. "It is a matter for the police."

She said the motor vehicle insurance policy stated customers were not covered for loss or damage where possession was gained by any form of deception or fraud.

She urged all people selling their vehicles to ensure the money was in the bank before handing over the car keys.

Sergeant Lee Myson, from Bettws police, said: "We are still appealing for information about the man and the vehicle involved."

The conman is described as muscular and with a distinctive tattoo of a flower, which appeared to be with a dagger, on his left lower arm.