Guardian report was good news story for Fred

10:17am Monday 6th August 2001

An elderly Woodside war veteran whose electric wheelchair was stolen and wrecked by vandals is to have his vehicle repaired for free, thanks to the Guardian.

The Croydon Guardian has been inundated with phone calls from Good Samaritans offering to help Fred Taylor since his story was published last week.

We reported how the 86-year-old had been made a prisoner in his Coleridge Road home after vandals broke into his shed and wrecked his only lifeline to the outside world.

Roy Mew, director of Cavell Home Care in Bromley, has offered to repair Fred's scooter for free after he saw the story.

Roy, who lives in Sanderstead, said: "I couldn't believe someone had been so cruel when I read what happened to Fred. We stock models the same as Fred's scooter and we can quite easily order the parts and get the vehicle mended at the shop."

Offers of money have also come flooding in to help pay for a new lock on Fred's shed.

Overwhelmed Fred said: "I'm so touched. It's wonderful to think that so many people care enough to want to help me.

"I was devastated when I realised I would be house-bound without my wheelchair but soon I will be out and about again."

Meanwhile, our story also reunited Fred with two old friends after they saw his picture in the paper.

Fred added: "I am indebted to the Guardian. Not only have you found someone to fix my chair, but you have also reunited me with two friends I haven't seen since the 1960s. They individually saw my picture in the paper and got in touch."

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