A Luton resident was shocked to discover that the house he had owned for 30 years had been sold without his knowledge while he was working away.

The man identified as Reverend Mike Hall had been in North Wales when he received a phone call from neighbours in August notifying him that someone had turned the lights on inside his property.

He immediately drove back the next morning only to find that his locks had been changed and the house stripped off its furniture.

Inside the house, he found a builder who then went to fetch the new owner's father as he called the police.

Apparently, according to the new owners, the house has been bought back in July.

Mr Hall said police initially told him it was a civil matter rather than fraud. However, an investigation is now ongoing after it was discovered that a duplicate driving licence and bank account set up in the name of Mr Hall had been used to sell the house.

Mr Hall bought the house for £131,000 in the earlier 90s after graduating from university and starting his first job.

For now, the Land Registry online documents show that the new buyer is the registered owner of his home. This means that Mr Hall will have to pursue a civil case in order to get his house back.

"I was shocked - having seen the house in the state it was, I was in a bit of a state of shock anyway - but then to be told by the police they didn't believe a criminal offence had been committed here was just unbelievable", he said in disbelief.

The solicitors involved in the property transaction have not yet commented on the matter.