SWINDON Shopmobility has expanded its fleet of electric scooters - thanks to The Gannett Foundation.

The Gannett Foundation Fund, the Evening Advertiser's parent company, donated £3,600 to Friends of Swindon Shopmobility - helping the service to buy four new electric scooters.

Swindon mayor Derek Benfield celebrated their arrival at the Shopmobility premises in the corner of the Wyvern Theatre car park off Edgeware Road.

He said: "Having supported this project for seven years, I am pleased to see the service is still expanding and allowing less mobile people to enjoy going shopping."

Swindon Shopmobility now has 46 electronic scooters, 40 manual wheelchairs and 10 power chairs for people who are either permanently disabled or temporarily physically impaired.

Olive Ray, joint acting manager of Swindon Shopmobility, said: "We offer one of the best services in this part of the country. We are now desperate for space to house all these brilliant scooters."

The electric scooters are a lifeline for people like Sean Cozens.

Mr Cozens, 40, from Park South, said: "My wife persuaded me to try them out and they are great. They have restored my independence."

Barbara Moore, 63, from Liden, also praised the facilities.

She said: "I have never had to wait for a scooter. The service is immaculate."