A war veteran who had his life savings stolen has received a new £3,500 mobility scooter in time for Remembrance Sunday following a Sutton Guardian campaign.

Following the extraordinary generosity of a reader, and with the help of Sutton Police, a top-of-the-range scooter was delivered to 97-year-old Joseph Bourne on Friday.

Mr Bourne, a prisoner of war for three years during World War II, was befriended and deceived by his crack-head neighbour Michael Sagnibene, who is now a prisoner himself after stealing £2,000 from the war hero over several months.

The savings were for a new mobility scooter.

After reading how Mr Bourne had been left traumatised and penniless by Sagnibene, fellow pensioner Florence Shepherd, from Carshalton, got in touch to offer some help.

Thanks to the generosity of the 84-year-old, who had a new scooter that she was unable to use, Mr Bourne has his freedom back.

After climbing on the scooter for the first time, a clearly overwhelmed Mr Bourne's first words were: "Oh la la, it's beautiful isn't it."

Mr Bourne, from Beddington, could not stop thanking Miss Shepherd, and presented her with flowers when they met in person at Wallington war memorial last week.

He said: "She is a wonderfully kind lady. I will remember this day forever, It is a very special day."

Miss Shepherd said: "I'm glad the scooter can go to a good home. It's brand new and Joseph sounds like he will use it a lot more than I ever would."

Lynn Fretwell, Mr Bourne's friend and carer who helped catch Sagnibene, said he was incredibly grateful for everything people had done for him.

She said: "He is always very appreciative to people who help him and I know he is delighted. He has not been off the scooter since he got it, I'm having a job getting him back in the house. Miss Shepherd has been ever so kind, Joseph hasn't stopped smiling since he got it."

Mr Bourne was sent to work down mines whilst being held captive in Germany and gets very claustrophobic, so he is out the house everyday, and the new scooter gives him the freedom to do so.

Group editor, Sean Duggan, thanked everyone who has sent in cheques to help pay for a scooter for Mr Bourne and said they will now be destroyed.

He said: "I want to thank all our readers who have responded with such generosity to Mr Bourne's plight. Here at the Sutton Guardian we are absolutely delighted that he has got the scooter he was saving up for and hugely grateful to Miss Shepherd who has made his dream come true so quickly."