THIEVES have destroyed a car used by an elderly cancer sufferer to get to hospital.

Trevor Munro's burgundy Metro Rio was taken from outside his flat in Eldon Street, Darlington, on October 7.

Police found the vandalised car in McMullen Road at the weekend.

Mr Munro, a retired 71- year-old father-of-three and grandfather-of-eight, who has recently undergone radiotherapy for prostate cancer, needs the car for his regular hospital visits.

The day he discovered his car was missing, he received a disabled car badge for his visits to hospital.

He said: "It's ironic. I now have the badge but no car. I can't imagine what goes through the minds of people who do this.

"It's an 11-year-old L-reg Metro, which was parked outside warden-controlled flats."

Officers told him the car had been reversed into something and was beyond repair.

"I was hoping to get it back in one-piece because I liked the car," he said. "This isn't a sob story as I'm not that kind of person, but I'm really disappointed."

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call police on (01325) 467681.