Teenager Mark Huggins was robbed of his independence when his wheelchair was stolen. Although the thieves have returned the chair to 13-year-old Mark, it has been completely ruined.

Mark, of Thresher Drive in Groundwell, left his wheelchair outside the front door for 10 minutes and it was stolen.

The Commonweal School pupil, who suffers from the hip disorder, Bilateral Perethes disease, epilepsy, Raynaud's Syndrome and asthma, used the £200 chair to get to and from school, but had to spend a day at home after the theft.

The family have been victims of theft and vandalism three times in the past 18 months since moving the short distance from Abbey Meads, but Tuesday afternoon's theft has left Mark's mother Sally, 37, feeling physically sick.

She said: "My husband had been away for some time and the children were looking forward to seeing him. Instead of putting the wheelchair in the car as we usually would, it was left by the front door.

"Mark has only had the wheelchair for a couple of months, but it is now completely ruined. He can go nowhere without his wheelchair it's his life so this has made me absolutely sick.

"How many times can people target a little boy I just want them to leave us alone."

In September last year thieves broke into the family car and stole sports kit, cushions, blankets, CDs and even the wheel nuts.

And the following month thieves took Mark's medication, schoolbag, Harry Potter cassette and tape recorder from the back of the car.

But the family has been cheered by the news that the Wiltshire Red Cross have loaned Mark a wheelchair while the Wiltshire Health Ambulance Service has promised to buy him a new one within six weeks.

The uninsured wheelchair, which was fitted with special roll bars, was dumped in the front garden with ripped fabric, bolts removed from the backrest, brake pins removed and a buckled frame.

Mark, who has two brothers, Daniel, 15 and Matthew, four, was diagnosed with Bilateral Perethes disease when he was aged four and suffers severe pain when he walks long distances.

Mrs Huggins added: "Mark is such a bright and well adjusted child that this just doesn't seem fair. He is my inspiration because he doesn't complain about his disabilities.

"I can't understand how anyone could be so sick as to steal from a child it really beggars belief."

The wheelchair was taken in broad daylight at around 4.30pm on Tuesday and thrown into the front garden at 8.30pm the following night.

Swindon police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "This theft is beyond contempt.

"It would have been obvious to the thief that the wheelchair belonged to a child with a disability and I find it very difficult to understand how anyone could stoop so low.

"The teenager was deprived of his mobility as he was completely dependent on his wheelchair and anyone who knows the identity of the callous perpetrators is urged to contact police immediately."

Anyone with information is urged to call police on (01793) 528144 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.