A SHOPPER was left stranded at a supermarket after valeters left her keys in someone else’s car.

Lisa Barclay visited Tesco Highwoods at about 2.30pm on Sunday and decided to get her car washed while she shopped.

She handed the keys over to the owner of Waves Car Wash but when she returned to collect her red Toyota Rav 4 45 minutes later, she was told the keys had gone.

Ms Barclay, from Halstead, has been told her keys most likely fell out of a valeter’s pocket in another car.

She is now appealing to the owner of a Blue Volkswagen, which staff believe is the car the keys are most likely to have fallen into. She said: “I spoke to the franchise owner who advised it would take about 45 minutes and to leave the keys with him – he did look quite pressured, it was pretty busy.

“I went off and did my shopping and came back 45 minutes later to my car, which I could see hadn’t moved or been washed.

“I stood there for a few minutes until I managed to get the franchise owner’s attention to ask why it hadn’t been washed.

“He advised me that mine was next, went over to the hut and then looked confused and started speaking to the other workers.

After a few minutes, I went and asked what the problem was. He asked me if I was sure I’d left my keys with him to which I replied yes, I gave them to you and you put them in your pocket.”

The valeters could not find her keys anywhere and she waited for another hour and a half while they trawled through CCTV footage.

Ms Barclay added: “He showed me some CCTV which had bunches of keys on the table and asked if any were mine – I pointed to the ones which were mine.”

Eventually one of the cleaners said he remembered putting her keys in his pocket to move her car, and believes they must have fallen into another car.

Staff have narrowed the car down to a Blue Volkswagen, with the registration number EX12 NPJ, but they could not say for certain.

Her daughter had to drive from Braintree to hand over a spare set of car keys.

She said: “Head office have been quite helpful but not in a way as to resolve the matter, so if anyone who was there from around 2.30pm could check in the cars, door pockets, sides of seats, I would be most grateful, especially as the key fob on there was given to me by late father and although replaceable holds huge sentimental value.”

Anyone who spots the keys should email lisabarclay17@ gmail.com.

A Waves Car Wash spokesman said: “We understand the customer has made a plea on Facebook and we are working with our franchisee and the customer to resolve this as quickly as possible.”