GAZETTE: A VULNERABLE Chippenham man had his shopping bag stolen on Saturday, as he suffered an epileptic fit in the Market Place.

The man, who would like to remain anonymous, came round from a seizure to find his shopping bag, containing biscuits for pre-school children, had been stolen.

He has been a volunteer at a Chippenham pre-school for the past 12 years and was out doing their shopping when he was hit by the seizure, known as a Petit Mal absence.

"I think people are taking advantage of me," he said.

"It makes me worry. My bag was Velcroed across my body and it's horrible to think someone has taken it off me.

"My arms might fall down because I become like a dead weight during an absence, so it would be easy to take the bag off me."

A Petit Mal seizure is a momentary lapse in awareness. It can happen many times a day, and is caused by a brief disruption of the electrical activity in the brain.

It often looks a bit like daydreaming, which can mean that it has been happening for a long time before anyone realises what is going on.

"People would probably just pass by if I'm having one in the street and if they saw my bag they would probably pick it up and I'd be in no state to argue," the 49 year-old man said.

It's not the first time this has happened. He has suffered at the hands of the same callous crime before.

"It's not the first time," he said. "A rucksack was stolen before and it had over £30 in it."

The man, who has a 15 year-old daughter, was forced to buy the six packets of biscuits again because he didn't want to let the children down.

"I went straight back and brought them again," he said.

His recollection of the incident is hazy because sufferers aren't aware of what is happening when they have a seizure, but he said: "I came up from Somerfield about 3pm, through an alleyway and that's really the last thing I remember.

"Your body goes like a dead weight and your memory goes blank.

"I went to the police station then I went back to the place where I thought it had happened, but I still wasn't completely focused."

The man, who has to take six tablets a day to control the seizures, said: "I'd taken my medication on time, so I don't know what caused it. I never miss it because I know what can happen if I do."

Supervisor at the pre-school, Lorraine Pascoe, who has worked with the man for 12 years said: "It's unbelievable and very upsetting to think that could happen in Chippenham.

"You can't imagine who would do it. It's not like it was in a dark alley at night, it was in broad daylight.

"I can't believe it's happened for a second time. He's such a kind person and gives so much of his time."

She added: "He always does shopping for the pre-school in his own time, buying food, ingredients to make Playdoh, or glitter."

Chippenham Town Councillor, June Wood said: "It's an outrage. How could anyone stoop so low?

"I'm just so sorry to hear about it. I think it's a good idea to make people aware this has happened."