THIEVES stole the mobility scooter of a D-Day veteran on his diamond wedding anniversary.

Con Harris, 85, woke yesterday morning to find the lock on his shed had been forced open and the £1,000 scooter taken on the day he and his wife, Kathleen, 84, were celebrating 60 years of marriage.

Mr Harris, who lives in Garndiffaith, Pontypool, served as a leading signalman in the Royal Navy and was part of the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944.

He uses a walking stick to get around the house, but relies on the scooter to get around and because of the steep hills around his home, he can not keep his independence without it.

Mr Harris, whose service took him to Madras, Rangoon and Calcutta said: "I was brought up in a time when it was unthinkable to do something like this to people, I find it unbelievable.

“It's knocked us all to pieces this morning, it makes you feel ill."

Prior to the theft, Mr Harris would use the scooter daily to get to doctors, the shops and the Post Office.

The family are waiting to hear from insurers whether the scooter is covered as part of their policy.

The battery and key for the scooter are kept in the house, so thieves would have had to wheel it away or load it into a vehicle.

His daughter, Gill Harris, 55, added: "We're really annoyed about it, how could somebody do something like this to an 85-year-old man who needs his scooter."