HEARTLESS thieves left the family of a frail pensioner sickened after they stole her wheelchair from outside her home.

Now relatives of 82-year-old Betty Johnson, of Jute Road in Acomb, York, are appealing for the chair's return so their elderly relative can get about.

Former husband Leslie, 80, who keeps the wheelchair at his house only doors away from Betty's, said: "She can't go anywhere without that wheelchair. She's doubled up with arthritis. We take her out if it's a nice day. We've taken her to the coast for Sunday lunch.

"This might prick someone's conscience and they might bring it back."

As well as suffering from the painful arthritis that means she can hardly walk, Betty has become even more fragile within the last year, after suffering from a heart attack and a stroke.

The wheelchair was stolen after Betty had been enjoying her usual evening meal at Leslie and her son's house.

Late in the evening her son, Keith Rhodes, had taken his mother home in the chair, which he left outside in her front garden for about a quarter of an hour while he helped her into bed.

But when he returned, the chair had gone.

Leslie said: "If some moron can stoop so low as to steal a wheelchair from an 82-year-old lady, what are we coming to?"

Betty's son, Nick Johnson, who lives with his mother and acts as her carer along with his wife Rachael, said not having the wheelchair meant his mother had to be driven in a car - which she found painful to get in and out of.

Betty said she was finding life "difficult" without her wheelchair.

"My son takes me from our house, but I've a job to get in and out of the car," she said.

"I'm very upset because this is putting a lot of pressure on my family."

Nick said: "It's terrible. My brother has always left it there at that time of night. For someone to take it like that - I just can't understand why people would find it fun."

Betty's family called police after they found the chair had gone, but when officers searched the scene it was nowhere to be found.

Nick said he hoped to secure a temporary wheelchair before making inquiries on getting another one permanently, which they fear could take weeks.

"It's nowhere to be seen," he said. "Obviously somebody must have taken it. I'm appalled."

Can you help find a new wheelchair for Betty? Please phone Lucy Stephens on 01904 653051 ext 313 or email lucy.stephens@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 11:20 Thursday, August 18, 2005