We passed a classic Mini which had come to a fairly sudden stop at the side of the road. It looked to be sitting at a bit of an angle that just didn't look "right".
So we stopped just ahead of the Mini and got out to see what was up. Turns out the guy had lost his front near-side wheel! No one was hurt in the sudden stop, luckily. But when I say he had "lost" his wheel, I really mean it. The four of us (Lenore & I, and the bloke & his burd), searched 100 yards in front and behind where he came to a stop - no wheel. The road-side was pretty heavy undergrowth, with bushes and weeds growing, and the opposite side of the road was the same with a 20 foot banking down to a river which was very low and slow running.
The only thing we can think has happened is when the wheel came off it bounced off the nearside road edge and wall, across the road and down into the river.
The guy called the RAC and after 30 mins of searching, we left them to it. Felt really sorry for him, but that wheel was no-where to be found easy. I think the guy was gonna have to go for a dunk (or at least a paddle), if I'm honest.
Couldn't even find any wheel studs either though. Strange.
It was a nice Silver Mini 25 too.
A.