A DISABLED veteran had his car returned after a thief broke into his house while he was asleep, stole his keys and made off with his motor.

Alan Newnes said his overwhelming sensation was one of relief after his stolen car, vital to his independence, was returned in one piece.

The 84-year-old of Sudgrove Close, Blackpole, Worcester, had a friend drive him to the police storage depot on Thursday afternoon after officers called him to tell him they had found the car undamaged in Worcester with the keys still in the ignition.

Mr Newnes who suffers from spinal stenosis and has had a heart valve replaced struggles to walk without the aid of two sticks and often uses an electric wheelchair.

On his shopping trips the great grandfather leans on the trolley for support and needs his car to get him to the shops.

He said: "I'm really pleased. It is completely undamaged and the keys were still in the ignition."

Mr Newnes said the car had been searched by the thief but there was not much worth stealing. Two odd gloves and a CD had not been left, leading to the RAF veteran joking that the thief must not have shared his musical taste.

The only thing he believes has been stolen is a £1 coin he uses for the supermarket trolleys.

However, Mr Newnes said he will be left £150 out of pocket - the cost of recovering the vehicle from the police and said he could not claim the money from his insurance because of the excess.

He said he believed the thief had realised, once he has stolen the car, that Mr Newnes was disabled. The car contained his two walking sticks and his disabled badge.

He said: "I think he probably realised I was an old boy and changed his mind, had a change of heart. There is a bit of good in everyone.

"He had second thoughts when he realised it belonged to to someone who was disabled. There is a photograph of me on the disabled badge so he could see the person he had done this to. Without the car I couldn't get any shopping. I could not do anything."

He praised West Mercia Police for returning the car to him so quickly and for changing the locks to his house to make him feel more secure.

We previously reported how Mr Newnes had his black Renault Clio stolen from the driveway of his home in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The burglar broke into his home through the window of a room he calls his piano room before taking a set of keys he had left on the window sill, opening the front door and making a getaway in his car.

Mr Newnes was woken by his dog and constant companion, twelve-year-old Dalmatian, Raffles who nudged him and woke him up.

Mr Newnes served in the RAF in Egypt the 1950s and rose to the rank of flight lieutenant.

Dave Carney, who runs Worcester's Veterans Breakfast Club for ex-servicemen, said Jim Carver, the UKIP MEP and himself a veteran, read about the plight of Mr Newnes whilst on holiday abroad, and was concerned for the man.

Contact was made with Mr Carney who made contact with Armed Forces charity SSAFA who have been in touch with Mr Newnes who was grateful for their support.

Mr Carney said: "I'm glad there was a happy ending. It just shows to all veterans that is always a support network out there, should you need it."

No arrests have yet been made but West Mercia Police continue to investigate the offence. 

A police spokesman said: "Investigations are ongoing and we would encourage anyone who witnessed the offence or has any information to contact West Mercia Police on 101, quoting incident reference 22CA-58192B-16."