Plea from grandmother with progressive disease as her ‘lifeline’ mobility scooter is stolen from her drive way in Bassetlaw village
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Elaine Cleaver, 68, of Sherwood Crescent, Blyth, had only been living in the area for just over three months after moving from Bedfordshire to be closer to family when the incident happened on Sunday, February 6 between 7.30pm and 9.30pm.
Elaine said her neighbour’s CCTV footage showed two men take her mobility scooter, which cannot be used without its key, and put in a white van before driving away.
The incident is being investigated by police.
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Elaine was diagnosed with secondary progressive MS in the 80s and said that the theft has caused her symptoms to relapse.
She said: “It has had a bad effect on me because I was getting on OK - I mean, obviously, with MS you have days where you're not right, but it's knocked me right back; I'm struggling to walk and to just do my normal tasks.”
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects your brain and spinal cord as the body mistakenly attacks its nerves.
As these nerves are damaged, MS can affect the way someone sees, thinks and moves.
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There is currently no cure for MS but there are drugs that can help manage the symptoms and condition.
Elaine, who was born in Glossop, is now unable to take her 10-year-old schnauzer, Betty, out for walks and is having to rely on her daughter, Nicola, for help.
She said: "I go to places where I can let her off and then she'll run alongside the scooter at eight miles an hour - she's quite fit for her age, but I can't actually do that myself without my scooter.
“I’m just lost for words, I just don't know where to go from here.
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“I need my scooter back – it is a lifeline for me, I'm just stuck in here without it.”
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: “The grey scooter was parked in a driveway and was stolen leaving the owner very distressed and vulnerable.
“We are appealing for anyone with information that would help identify the person who stole the scooter to call us on our non-emergency number 101 quoting reference 704 of February 6 2022.”