Scooter smashed up by vandals is replaced by kindhearted readers

EUROMILLIONS winners have saved the day for terminally-ill cancer patient Tony Bendell.

The 41-year-old has been overwhelmed with support from Grimsby Telegraph readers after his mobility scooter was trashed by vandals.

Among offers of cash support, disused vehicles, repair services and lifts around town, was one from local Euromillions winners Sue and Lee Mullen, who have bought him a new one.

Tony, who has just months to live, used it to visit his elderly mum in Cleethorpes each day from St Andrew's Hospice where he is cared for.

He left the scooter charging outside his mum's Harrison Court home, in Grimsby, while he was staying there for two days over Christmas, and discovered the damage on Boxing Day.

But of his new scooter, he said: "It is brilliant. I am over the moon. I could not ask for any more. After the damage I was gutted. I was not the same person. I had only had it five days and then I was having to rely on other people and having to get taxis which I could not afford.

"After the story went in the Telegraph the support has been overwhelming. This scooter is even better and I can go and see mum again everyday and get to the shops and the hospital for scans."

The new scooter, which was valued at £500, was sold to Mr and Mrs Mullen for £250 by Right Care Mobility sales and engineering representative Trev Crampton.

The businessman took the scooter from the Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes store to Tony at the hospice.

Trev said: "Our motto is "We care in the community." that is what we are about. It is not always about profit."

Sue and Lee, who won their Euromillions share of £4.6-million in 2007 handed over the keys to the new scooter.

Lee, 40, who lost a four-year-old step-daughter to cancer in 1994, said: "It doesn't matter how much money you have when you are faced with such illnesses. We are just lucky we are in a position to help Tony.

"There are requests for help that we receive but I prefer to read through the Grimsby Telegraph and see who it is that genuinely needs our support."

Sue, 42, who has continually supported needy causes and individual appeals by reading the Grimsby Telegraph, recalled a visit to St Andrew's Hospice a year ago with fellow Lottery winners from the Grimsby and Louth areas.

She told: "I lost my mother last year.

"She had severe mobility problems, so I know what it is like not to have these wheels.

"I had to have a disc removed from my back years ago, but the operation was unsuccessful, so I can appreciate the difficulties with mobility Tony has got."

She told how she had lost an aunt and grandmother to cancer and wanted to do more to help others, including considering meeting up with other lottery winners and other potential donors to create a fund to support people in need.

She said: "The other winners have said something similar. There are a lot of genuine people in the area who would support the fund."

Editor's Comment

FOR every bad, there is a good and today we see that as we highlight a happy ending to the story of Tony Bendell.

Tony will have a happy New Year, thanks to Telegraph readers who jumped to his aid after reading how his scooter had been stolen.

It is so often the case that people will help, go over and above to assist those in need – it is just a real shame that we have to report such cases in the first place.

However by reporting these crimes, it just reveals how many people there are in this area who are prepared to help others.

There will be many other occasions when this is the case, but so often we are not told – so let’s hear about the good deeds and then we can publicise them to show that there is a caring and kind side to this world we live in.

*Tell us your good deeds – comment on this story below: