Wife’s wheelchair torched in car blaze
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| BURNT OUT: Mark Stowell and his disabled wife, Julie, at home with their children Rebecca, five, Nicole, 14, and Ryan, 10, |
A COUPLE were left stranded at home after vandals torched their car and the wheelchair which was inside.
Mark Stowell's maroon Chevrolet was burnt out by yobs after he had to abandon it on moors near Hapton when he ran out of petrol on Boxing Day.
When he returned to pick it up the following day, he found that his 38-year-old wife's wheelchair had also been destroyed in the blaze.
The couple have been told they must now wait up to six weeks for a replacement from their occupational therapy team because they are out of stock.
Mark, of Carter Avenue, Hapton, said: "The car had burnt down to its tyres.
"I was told I wouldn't even get £40 for scrap.
"The worse thing was that the wheelchair was in the back and was destroyed."
Mark's wife, Julie, was confined to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke 18 months ago.
He said: "We have three children under 14 so it was a real strain to manage without a car, even for a few days.
"Julie is reliant on the chair to get around, so it has been a struggle."
Mark, who is now a full-time carer for his wife, was able to buy a cheap car while waiting for insurance money to come through.
But he has not been able to find a replacement chair for Julie that will make do until a new one comes into stock.
The 40-year-old has now turned to the internet for help.
He is the moderator of Hyndburn's Freecycle network - an internet site where people offer items they no longer want for free.
He said: "As there is a waiting list with occupat-ional therapy, it seemed like the best option in the interim.
"People give a lot of things away on the site and I am hoping that someone will see my notice and be able to help."
Mark added: "We have had quite a few things from the site in the past - including our cat, which was offered after his owner died.
"It is a good way to recycle things you no longer want and can be a huge help to those in need.
"Six weeks is a long time for Julie to be without a fully-working wheelchair.
"Hopefully we will be able to get one a bit sooner with the help of the website," he added.
Anyone wanting to find out more about the site can visit www.groups.yahoo.com/ group/hyndburnfreecycle/
1:45pm Wednesday 16th January 2008
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