A DISABLED man whose special motorised trike was stolen and trashed by thieves will not get anything back from his insurance company.

Thirty-year-old Andrew Whiter had saved up for three years to buy the £4,500 black trike, called a Nippi.

But he could not afford the £600 cost of fully comprehensive insurance, so it was covered only for third party.

This meant it was not covered if stolen.

Thieves took the trike from outside Andrew's home in Taylor Hill Road, Taylor Hill.

It is specially designed so Andrew can wheel his wheelchair on to it and then drive it on roads.

The trike was found dumped in a field behind homes on Falcon Street in Newsome late on Thursday.

All the bodywork had been ripped off, the engine and battery removed and one wheel was missing. All that was left was the chassis and a couple of wheels.

Police recovered the trike on Friday afternoon for forensic examination.

They searched a home in nearby Edale Avenue and investigations are still going on to catch the culprits.

Andrew suffers from hereditary spastic paraplegia.

He was fine until he was 24. Then the symptoms began and have worsened ever since.

Now he cannot straighten his legs and is wheelchair- bound.

He said: "I could have cried when I saw what they had done to the trike.

"Things had started to go right for me at last and I hoped the Nippi meant I could look for work. Now those hopes are dashed. I've lost everything.

"Thieves must think everyone can claim off their insurance, but that's not always the case.

"Whoever stole this must have known it was for a disabled person. That's why I thought it wouldn't be stolen.

"It's no good to anyone who doesn't have a wheelchair."

Andrew moved to Huddersfield from Essex to do a degree in human ecology 10 years ago and stayed here.

But he says the theft and destruction of his trike has shattered his confidence. "I'm worried about even going out now," added Andrew. "I'm thinking of moving."