A true Stafford twist involving a Labrador, a weekend getaway, and a rear bumper meltdown
Steph doesn’t do last-minute holidays.
She’s the spreadsheet type. Bags packed two days early, passports in ziplock bags, travel insurance printed and emailed to herself, just in case.
So when her sister surprised her with a spa weekend near Lichfield, Steph was… not relaxed.
“Just throw a few bits in a bag,” her sister said. “We’re only 40 minutes away.”
Steph threw nothing. She overprepared. Packed three outfit options per day. Double-checked the car. Told her neighbour where the spare key was. Then she opened the boot to load everything in, and chaos began.
🐾 Enter: Murphy the Labrador
Murphy is Steph’s 3-year-old Labrador.
Huge, clumsy, loyal. Thinks he’s the size of a ferret. Jumps into everything with his full body weight and unshakeable joy.
So when Steph opened the boot of her Ford Kuga to load a suitcase, Murphy did what Murphy always does:
He launched himself in.
Straight into the corner of the bumper. Suitcase still in her hand. Boot half-open. Murphy trying to “help” by climbing in sideways.
There was a horrible crack-pop noise. Steph’s heart sank.
Murphy wagged his tail.
🔍 The Kind of Damage You Don’t See Right Away
From the outside, it looked like nothing.
Just a bit of flex in the bumper. Slight gap. A smudge that could be a dirty paw print.
But when she closed the boot, the sensor light on the dash flickered. Then the tailgate wouldn’t fully latch. The camera wouldn’t activate.
She tried to convince herself it was fine. She was late. She had towels and robes and bubble bath waiting.
So she drove.
🧼 Spa Weekend Vibes (Mostly)
The hotel was lovely. Steam rooms. Quiet lounges. A woodland walk where her sister cried laughing as Steph explained what happened.
But when Steph walked back to her car Sunday afternoon, her heart dropped again.
The bumper had partially dropped. Just hanging, like it gave up over the weekend.
A family with kids walked past. One of them whispered, “Mum, that lady’s car’s broken.”
Brilliant.
🏠 Back in Stafford, Slightly Defeated
By the time she got home, it was worse.
The rear camera flickered on and off. The bumper shifted when she parked. The sensors went off constantly, even when no one was behind her.
So, she rang around.
Dealer quote: “We’ll need to inspect. Could be £1,200+. No loan car.”
National chain: “We can book you in three weeks from now.”
Her friend Kelly (who once lost her bumper to a bollard at Asda) said: “Go to Bodymatters. Seriously. No judgement, no upsell. They sorted me.”
👋 “Hey – This Is Gonna Sound Weird…”
When Steph pulled into Bodymatters the next morning, she walked in holding a photo of Murphy.
“I know this sounds weird, but my dog might’ve broken my car.”
We didn’t blink.
Honestly? Not even in the top five strangest intros we’ve heard.
She explained the spa trip. The latching issue. The camera glitch. The phantom beeping. We had a quick look, then booked her in properly for a full assessment.
🧰 It Wasn’t Just the Bumper
Turned out, Murphy’s heroic leap had:
Cracked two inner clips
Bent the tailgate panel very slightly (enough to affect closing)
Nudged the parking sensor bracket
Caused minor strain on the camera wiring
She hadn’t seen any of that. She wasn’t supposed to. That’s what we’re here for.
But more importantly, we didn’t tell her she needed to “replace the whole rear.”
We fixed what mattered. Realigned what was safe to keep. Replaced only the broken bits.
🐕 Murphy’s Free to Go (Sort Of)
In three days, her Kuga was back to looking (and sounding) like itself.
No more dashboard warnings. No more false alarms. The boot shut with a satisfying “click.” The camera came on like it should.
She even asked us to print a little sticker for the inside boot panel that says:
“Murphy, Sit First.”
We obliged.
💬 Steph’s Review? Not Just About the Car
She left us a review the next day that started with:
“They didn’t laugh. Not once. Even when I showed them the picture of my dog mid-air.”
She ended it with:
“Felt like real people, not robots. Told me what needed doing, no more, no less. Sorted it without fuss. Honestly 10/10.”
🧠 The Takeaway? Sometimes It’s Not a Crash, But It’s Still a Problem
We see this stuff every week:
Kids pushing shopping trolleys into doors
Dogs jumping on boots
People reversing into bins
Or luggage catching sensors
It’s not always dramatic. But it still matters. Because modern cars are fragile in all the wrong places.
Sensors, cameras, tailgate tech, they’re hidden, but pricey to ignore. One wonky latch can let in water. One stressed bracket can affect reversing. One skipped repair can cost you later.
🧭 In Stafford? Come See Us, Even for the Weird Stuff
If something feels off, a door that’s not closing right, a light that blinks at you when it shouldn’t, pop in.
At Bodymatters, we:
✅ Look properly
✅ Talk straight
✅ Quote fairly
✅ Help with insurance if you go that route
✅ Don’t upsell
✅ Treat weird stories like they’re normal (because they usually are)
📍 Tollgate Drive, Stafford ST16 3EA
📞 01785 229162
💻 www.bodymatters-uk.com
Because sometimes it’s not a pothole, a crash, or a reckless driver.
Sometimes, it’s just your dog being a bit too helpful.
