Les given a brand new scooter

ANDY JACKSON/ Taranaki Daily News

CHUFFED: New Plymouth's Les Marsden with his brand new mobility scooter donated by Heartway licence holders.

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A 94-year-old who was sold a dodgy mobility scooter thought all his Christmases had come at once when he was gifted a brand new scooter yesterday.

The consumer affairs TV show Fair Go featured Les Marsden, father of legendary New Zealand musician Midge Marsden, on their programme earlier this month.

New Plymouth's Mr Marsden was sold what he believed to be a new mobility scooter but had to have it replaced three times after the second-hand machines he was actually given broke down.

Yesterday Tom Neil, owner of Mobility Scooters Taranaki, delivered a new Heartway scooter to a shocked Mr Marsden.

The scooter retails at $5500 and was donated on behalf of the 17 Heartway mobility scooter licence holders in New Zealand.

"We saw what happened with Les on Fair Go and got together and decided we wanted to do something to help. We've all chipped in and donated the new one," Mr Neil said.

Mr Marsden's reaction was disbelief at the generosity from people he didn't even know. "That's just fantastic. I've never been given anything like this in my life."

He said he might need a few Disprin to help him sleep after all the excitement.

"It's come just at the right time. You don't expect these sorts of things to happen to you."

After getting stuck on the railway tracks near Port Taranaki when his old scooter broke down, Mr Marsden said he would probably be steering clear of that path for awhile. "It's just so handy for getting to the Moturoa shops and up to Spotswood."

With a new and more powerful machine Mr Marsden now has the ability to get from Moturoa to Bell Block with his improved battery life.

"That's fantastic, I've got a mate out in Bell Block who I can go and visit now without having to worry about whether I'll make it the whole way," he said.

The surprise delivery was organised by Mr Marsden's daughter-in-law Raewyn who also featured on the Fair Go programme on his behalf.

"This will given him his independence back and that's what we want," she said.

"He would never have been able to afford a brand new one so this is just awesome for him and the whole family."

- © Fairfax NZ News