A disabled man had his wheelchair stolen in a cruel theft.

Philip Butterfield, who lost a leg last March, left his wheelchair outside his home in Maldon Road, Wallington at 6.50am on January 24, while he drove to a nearby shop to buy some milk.

But when he returned ten minutes later he found the chair had gone.

He had to wait until his carer arrived an hour-and-a-half later to help him from his car.

The former NHS manager said: “It makes me feel sick. How low can people get to steal someone’s wheelchair?”

“Its not worth anything to anybody. I thought it could have been kids having a prank, so I drove around for ages to see if it had been dumped anywhere but it hadn’t.”

The 56-year-old said he could have been specifically targeted by someone who knew he left his wheelchair outside his house when he used his car.

He had removed the arms and foot rests from the wheelchair to make it less of a target when he left it outside his house.

Mr Butterfield had his leg amputated in March because of diabetes linked to a brain disease he was diagnosed with in 1990.

He now uses a prosthetic leg.

The loss of his chair came in the same week he learnt he will have to stay in his wheelchair, because his hopes of having a replacement knee in his other leg which could give him the ability to stand, were dashed.

It was feared an infection could lead him to lose the other leg.

He could have to wait up to a month to have a replacement chair delivered by the NHS.

A Police spokesperson said: "Police are appealing for witnesses to the theft of wheelchair from the front garden of a flat in Maldon Road, Wallington, on Monday, January 24, between 6.50am and 7.00am.

"If you have any information that could help please contact Sutton Police station on 0300 123 1212 quoting ref no: 4000890/11."