AN IPSWICH teenager who lost 18 months of coursework when his car was stolen is today appealing to thieves to bring his work back.Matthew Arnold who lives in Leopold Road in Ipswich is training to be an electrician at Suffolk College.

AN IPSWICH teenager who lost 18 months of coursework when his car was stolen is today appealing to thieves to bring his work back.

Matthew Arnold who lives in Leopold Road in Ipswich is training to be an electrician at Suffolk College.

He had left more than a year's worth of notes and textbooks in the Fiesta when it was stolen around March 20 or 21.

He said: "A friend of mine was back from uni so we met for a couple of drinks. I didn't want to risk driving home so I left my car, although I probably wasn't over the limit."

The 18-year-old now faces the prospect of redoing months of work.

He added: "I spoke to the College about it and they said I will have to catch up. I'm gutted about it. I'm not paying for the course my company is but I can't afford to stay on."

The car was stolen from a car park in Tower Street between 8pm on Saturday, March 20 and 8am the following day.

Although it was Matthew's first car he says he is more worried about the loss of his work than his vehicle.

He added: "It took me a while to save up for it and I got it at the beginning of December, I am waiting for the insurance.

"It is inconvenient and I now realise how much I rely on it to get to work in Nacton.

"Really all I want is the work back. The chances are someone has taken it and torched it but the work is all I am interested in."

The car contained three A4 folders of notes and a couple of textbooks together worth about £100.

Matthew added: "You can still get the information elsewhere through textbooks and in other places but that's not as good as your personal notes."

Matthew's car was a white Ford Fiesta, registration N633 DJN.

A spokeswoman for Ipswich police confirmed the car had been reported stolen and appealed for anyone with information to contact Pc Dominic Man on 01473 613500.

Matthew would like anyone who knows the whereabouts of his work to contact him on 07754 547874.