A TEENAGER who was left devastated when thieves wrote-off his first car had his faith in human nature restored this week when a mystery benefactor stepped forward.

Stuart Sokell, of Binchester, had battled his way back to full health since undergoing a liver transplant when he was five years old.

The teenager, who attends Bishop Auckland College, was learning to drive and was looking forward to taking his Mini Sprite out on the road.

But the 17-year-old had his independence shattered when thieves wrote-off his beloved car and dumped it near Durham.

This week, a woman from Bishop Auckland, who wants to remain anonymous, gave Stuart a white E-registered Ford Fiesta that was no longer used by her son.

Stuart's mum, Elizabeth Sokell, said: "It was so kind of her, giving Stuart a car - it's just unbelievable.

"It just goes to show there are some nice people out there. It does restore your faith in human nature."

The 55-year-old benefactor said: "I just thought he could use it. I can remember how hard it was for my son when he was younger to get started with a car. I thought it might keep him going for a while."

Elizabeth had bought the car for her son for when he passed his driving test.

She said: "It was to celebrate his life. He's lucky to be alive to start with because he was very ill when he had the transplant.

"He still goes for tests every year and he thought with having the car he would be able to do things on his own and go to the hospital by himself.

"It was to give him independence."

Stuart was desperately ill when he underwent the liver transplant operation at Addenbrook's Hospital in Cambridge.

The brave teenager later went on to win a bronze medal in a throwing event at the National Transplant Games in Glasgow in 1991 and take a skills course at college