A Newton Abbot pub landlady who looked forward to family trips in a camper van to cheer herself up while she battled cancer has had her dreams shattered after a dealer admitted selling an unroadworthy vehicle.

Grandmother Lilian Balment, who runs the Keyberry Hotel, Kingskerswell Road, bought the £7,995 converted Transit van with husband John, news editor of the Mid-Devon Advertiser, from Paignton firm Alan Kerr Ltd in June 2011.

But the couple's suspicions were aroused when the vehicle was delivered with a new MoT certificate but not without faults.

'I noticed both the driver's and passenger door windows were cracked and mentioned this to the delivery driver, but he said it was bullet-proof glass and only the police could deal with it,' said the 59-year-old, who underwent a mastectomy in February 2011.

'I thought it was strange but was on my way to hospital so let it go. When I returned though I looked around the van and saw the front bumper was distorted, black paint to the inside rims was still sticky.

Alan Kerr Ltd declined to comment.