The frightening ordeal happened to the Pashovs because of a paperwork blunder by the dealership that sold them their car.

Ivaylo Pashov, who lives in Dereham with his wife Clare and 17-year-old son Alex, was stopped at the Serbian-Bulgarian border last year while driving their Hyundai Tucson.

They had bought the car brand-new from MotorVogue, a dealership on Cromer Road in Norwich, in 2022.

Despite having driven the vehicle for two years without any issues, border police flagged it as a suspected stolen car after discovering the chassis number did not match official records.

The Hyundai Tucson bought by the Pashov family from MotorVogue in Norwich in 2022. (Image: Supplied) Mr Pashov, 43, who was travelling to Bulgaria to prepare for his family's arrival, was arrested, detained in a cell and told he could face a weekend in jail unless the issue was resolved that day.

The car was seized, and Mr Pashov was only released after a prosecutor agreed to bail him.

MotorVogue admitted responsibility for the blunder which they said was due to an "administrative error" - but the Pashovs say they have not received proper compensation for their ordeal.

A TREAT TURNS INTO TROUBLE

Dereham family Alex, Clare and Ivaylo Pashov. (Image: Supplied) It was supposed to be a fresh start.

In May 2022, the Pashovs purchased the brand-new Hyundai Tucson as "a treat" after Mr Pashov had recovered from a difficult illness.

They used the car regularly without any problems, often driving from the UK to Europe.........

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