AN ASTHMATIC pensioner has been left traumatised after thieves took her husband's "legs" away by stealing and wrecking their car.

Sixty-five-year-old Gwen Harvey's husband Alan, 82, cannot walk because of his osteoarthritis so they rely on their K-reg Vauxhall Nova to get to hospital appointments and the shops.

The grey car was parked outside their home in Hodson Crescent, St Mary Cray, and had an orange disabled sticker clearly displayed in its front windscreen.

But this did not stop the thieves from taking the car, wrecking it and abandoning it in Okemore Gardens, St Mary Cray, on November 23.

It had its handbrake broken and its wiring ripped out, windows smashed and lights damaged.

Mrs Harvey, who retired from nursing two years ago after injuring her back and neck, said: "We're totally traumatised.

"My husband feels as if they have taken his legs away from him.

"He cannot get out without me to push him in his wheelchair and he cannot walk at all without me.

"All he could do was hobble to the car using a stick, and when he was in the car and his weight wasn't on his legs he could drive.

"The car was his only means to stay independent."

Police returned the car to the couple on November 26 but it is too damaged to be driven.

The Harveys are waiting to hear from their insurance company to see if they will pay out enough money for them to get another car.

Mrs Harvey said: "We are both so terribly depressed.

"We just want to get on and do what we have got to do."

This is not the first time Mr and Mrs Harvey have been victims of car crime.

Three years ago thieves stole the front grill of an Austin Maestro from their drive.

A Ford Escort was stolen from their drive 15 years ago and a Lada Riva was stolen from the multi-storey car park, Earls Way, Orpington, 20 years ago.

The police are carrying out a series of operations to combat car crime in the St Mary Cray area.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.