Scooter replaced by BBC listener

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 15th Jan 2008

A man from Telford left stranded by thieves who stole his mobility scooter, has had it replaced with a new one.

John Noble, 74, of Park Lane in Madeley, has rheumatoid arthritis and recently had a triple heart by pass.

The blue and grey four-wheeled electric scooter was taken from his garage sometime during Saturday night. Lyn Burrell from the group, Peace of Mind Homecare, heard Mr Noble's plight on BBC Radio Shropshire and took him to buy a new one.

Ms Burrell said: "Through the work that we do, we know how much these scooters mean to people like John - it's like losing both legs at the same time, you cannot get about without them."

On what Lyn Burrell had done, Mr Noble said: "I find it hard believe... words fail me." Mr Noble said he believed his scooter had been stolen for fun and nothing else - not even the vehicle's charger, had been taken. "I can only walk about 20 yards even then I am in pain," he said. He also uses the scooter to exercise his dog.

"It's just stupid. People do not stop to think of the problems their actions are causing," he added. He agreed it had all turned out well in the end, "it's fantastic, unbelievable", he said.