Disabled teen ‘shocked’ as specialised van stolen in Sheffield

An 18-year-old who relies on a specially adapted wheelchair-accessible van has spoken of his shock after the vehicle was stolen.

The blue Ford Tourneo MPV was stolen from Wordsworth Avenue in Sheffield while Oliver Ellison was attending a Sheffield Wednesday match with his father.

Oliver, who has cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs, cannot sit unaided and travels in a powered wheelchair weighing about 150kg (24 st).

His father, Rory Ellison, said: “It isn’t just a vehicle. Without it, Oliver can’t get to appointments, get out and about or have the independence most people take for granted.”

The van was reported stolen after it was taken from the Hillsborough area between about 13:10 and 16:00 GMT on Sunday.

Rory, from Barnsley, said when they returned to the spot where they had parked Oliver was “upset and asked how we were going to get home because he was getting hungry”.

He said that after reporting the vehicle missing, it had taken about 90 minutes to find a wheelchair-accessible taxi to take them home.

The 40-year-old said his son had only recently been able to start attending football matches again, after months of health problems and difficulties linked to scoliosis and pain.

He said the adapted vehicle was essential because the teen could not use a standard car and relied on specialist seating and a powered wheelchair.