THE mother of a disabled eight-year-old is appealing for witnesses after her son's buggy was stolen from outside his school.
The incident happened when mum Jane, who does not want her son to be identified, went to collect the youngster from South Downs Community Special School in Shinewater Lane at around 3pm on Monday (June 22).
The autistic schoolboy experiences problem
s with his legs and bowel and uses a specially adapted buggy.
Jane walks him to and from school each day with the buggy and on Monday she left it outside the school for just a few minutes.
She said, "Taxis were blocking the entrance to the car park so I left the buggy just outside the school gates.
"But when I came out at 3.05pm the buggy had gone. I searched the area around the school, informed the school reception and the site manager who helped me, but to no avail."
The distinctive navy blue Maclaren Elite buggy with double wheels was on loan from Eastbourne DGH to assist the boy's mobility and improve his quality of life.
Jane said, "The people who have taken it don't realise how much he relies on this buggy and how much it improves his quality of life.
"The day it was stolen we were walking home and he was very uncomfortable and started asking me to carry him.
"We had to sit down in the bus stop on the way so he could have a rest.
"Autistic people think about things a lot and he became worried that he could have been stolen with the buggy."
The matter has been reported to police and anyone who witnessed the theft or knows the whereabouts of the buggy is asked to call 0845 60 70 999, quoting serial 1890 of June 22.
