Police rescue woman on runaway mobility scooter

Police from Perranporth, Cornwall came to the rescue of an elderly woman whose 'runaway' disability scooter took her five miles from the town. The woman from Perranporth, who is in her late 70s and wishes to remain anonymous, uses her mobility scooter to go shopping as she has problems walking.

Normally her husband strolls along by her side. But last Wednesday, he rushed to Perranporth police station to ask for help after the scooter had suddenly picked up speed and the last he had seen of his wife was as she disappeared out of the town on the B3284.

Sgt Simon Tonkin and PCSOs Alan Flowerday and Michael Ginnelly, of the Perranporth neighbourhood team, sprang into action to help the woman, who they feared could have been terrified by the experience. The police communications centre broadcast an alert for officers in the area to lookout for the driver.



She was later intercepted by a passing police response unit five miles away on the A3075 at Pendown Cross. Meanwhile, the police had received a number of calls from worried members of the public concerned for the woman's safety after she was seen veering along the highway. It was PCSOs Flowerday and Ginnelly who finally reunited the woman and her relieved husband.

The elderly couple were transported home in the police van and PCSO Ginnelly volunteered to drive the mobility scooter back to their home. He said: "I would like to thank all the various car and van drivers who tooted their horns, waved and laughed at me while en route back to Perranporth.

"Hopefully this tale will reassure the public that the police are not just used to catch criminals, but we are also a caring organisation in times of stress and can be very helpful and reassuring." It is not yet known what caused the woman's scooter to gain speed so rapidly.