A JUNIOR doctor whose car was vandalised while he was working at the Royal Gwent Hospital has said his faith in humanity has been restored after it was fixed for free.

Tom Rontree-Carey returned to his car in the Mendalgief Road car park after his shift on Thursday, April 16 - but when he switched on the ignition he realised something was wrong.

"It made a terrible noise," he said. "I called a mechanic, who jacked it up and said someone had nicked the catalytic converter."

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Dr Rontree-Carey was told that the theft must have occurred during the day as he would not have been able to drive to work with the car in the condition it was in.

"I’m shocked people would do that at the moment," he said. "Targeting a hospital. It’s pretty awful."

South Wales Argus:

Tom Rontree-Carey

Later that day, Dr Rontree-Carey's father Sean posted about the incident on social media, and a short while later two Gwent firms got in touch to offer their help.

"Fast Parts in Cwmbran and AJ Garage services in Caerleon said they'd donate the parts I needed," said Dr Rontree-Carey.

In no time they had the parts sourced and fitted. Dr Rontree-Carey said that they even refused his offer of payment.

"It was unbelievable," he said. "I didn’t expect it at all.

"It certainly saved me a lot of time and stress.

"It’s restored my faith in humanity."

South Wales Argus:

Tom Rontree-Carey's car was fixed for free by Fast Parts in Cwmbran and AJ Garage services in Caerleon.

Stress is certainly something that Dr Rontree-Carey and his colleagues are not short of at present, however he said that staff at the hospital were coping with the strange circumstances.

"We’ve all been redeployed since this (coronavirus) all started," he said.

"I’m now working in a ‘red zone’.

"We were really well prepared at the hospital. I’d rather be over-prepared than under-prepared.

"It’s been very hectic but I think we’re getting there."