A DEVASTATED grandmother is pleading with thieves to return the car she uses as a lifeline to help her cope with her seriously-ill husband.

Dorothy Minton's 12-year-old Vauxhall Nova was taken from Clare Street car park, off Worcester's City Walls Road, yesterday morning.

"I put a ticket on it at 9.03am for two hours so I could collect my pension and, when I got back at 10.35am, it was gone," said Mrs Minton, aged 70.

"I just feel devastated and really angry that someone has done this. I need the car to do errands for my husband Jack, who has multiple sclerosis, and it's like they have taken away a lifeline.

"I just want whoever took it to return it, hopefully in the condition that it was when it was taken."

Mrs Minton, of Eastnor Close, Battenhall, Worcester, has owned the silvery grey Nova - registration number F832 NPV - for two years.

"It's a nice-looking car, with black bumpers and I just feel someone must have watched me get out of the car," she said. "I just feel it was a very cruel thing to do and has made my life very difficult."

She said she now has to rely on the generosity of neighbours to drive her to the chemist shops to pick up the prescriptions for her 78-year-old husband, who is housebound.

Her neighbour, Margaret Jones, said Mrs Minton was a "brick who deserves a medal for all she does".

"I just can't believe this is has happened to her," she said. "Everyone around here thinks she's such a wonderful lady.

"I just don't understand how anyone could do this. Dorothy needs her car. She relies on it to help her husband."

A spokeswoman for Worcester police said every car theft caused disruption for the victim.

"When someone relies on their car for mobility, it makes the theft even more despicable."

Anyone with information about the Nova should call police on 01905 723888 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.