Roger Bamber was working for The Sun on assignment to photograph David Bowie deep into the Ziggy Stardust stage of the Bowie development. The band was performing at the Lewisham Odeon just a stone’s throw from the Brixton birthplace of David Jones.

A successful evening for Bamber who got along well with the band who he had met on previous occasions and had recently been on tour with them to Amsterdam.

Saying his farewells to David and fellow band member bass guitarist Trevor Boulder, (seen in the background having his side burns trimmed) Roger headed off to drive home, the pictures not for publication that night.

Heading back to where he had parked his new cream coloured Lotus Cortina he was shocked to find just a vacant space.

Rogers pride and joy with its Lotus engine was no longer parked where he had left it. Rushing back to the Lewisham Odeon he rounded up a posse to go search for his beloved mean machine.

The posse being Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars who fresh from the stage were now searching the streets of Lewisham for Rogers motor.

Touring took on another meaning as under pressure, the heroes, David Bowie, Trevor Boulder, Mick Ronson and Roger Bamber scoured Lewisham for sound and vision of finding the car, but it was not to be and sadly the tin machine was never seen again.