CRUEL thieves have nicked a busy charity worker's cherished caravanette which has helped him raise thousands of pounds following the tragic death of his young son.

Stroke victim David Phillips, aged 58, described the callous snatch as "like having his legs cut off."

Not only was the vehicle vital to his work with the Peter Phillips Fund - set up in memory of his son Peter, aged 11, who died of leukaemia in 1980 - but it also got the retired teacher out and about.

And now an eagerly-awaited driving holiday on the continent this summer is in jeopardy.

The fund, a registered charity with Billy Beaumont as its president, has been sending about 40 leukaemia sufferers and their families a year on caravan holidays to Fleetwood and North Wales over the past 10 years.

David, of Froom Street, Chorley, desperately needed the 'D' reg caravanette, which he bought for £13,000 10 years ago and which he reckons would cost £30,000 to replace today, to fund raise at the Leyland Festival next week.

"We have a stall, we've had it there for 15 years selling bric-a-brac and doing charity work, but we've got no transport now," said a depressed David, who set the fund up with his wife Isobell.

He added: "Basically I bought the caravanette for myself, but I've done nothing but charity work out of it.

"I go all round this county and other adjacent counties raising funds to keep the charity going."

The revamped Ford Transit, which sleeps six and includes a shower, cooker and fridge, was stolen from under David's nose while it was parked on Eaves Lane at about 10pm last Thursday, May 23.

"I was sat in a friend's house and saw it go past and said 'look, a caravanette like mine.' I didn't realise it was mine at the time . . . if I could have caught them.

"It's a really big blow to me - I've not got the van and I can't get out because of the stroke."

Can you help? If you can lend David a similar van get in touch with the Citizen on Chorley 269313.

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