A woman who suffers from a genetic condition who was robbed of her 'lifeline' when her mobility scooter was vandalised is 'over the moon' after a firm stepped in to repair the damage.

Karen Bishop, who has Stickler Syndrome, a progressive condition which affects the body's collagen and can lead to osteoarthritis, left her scooter at Norwich bus station, near to the YMCA, last month before joining a friend on a trip to Great Yarmouth.

The mother-of-two from Foulger's Opening, off Ber Street, Norwich, returned to find her scooter had been 'smashed to bits'.

Mrs Bishop, 40, feared she would not be able to afford to put the damage right and said the vandals had 'taken away her freedom'.

But she is set to pick up her scooter today from Mobility Supermarket Norwich which has repaired it for a token fee.

Mrs Bishop said: 'I'm absolutely over the moon. They've been so good about it. They've been absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to have it back. It's like I've been a prisoner in my own home.'

Stuart Barnes, a manager at the Mobility Supermarket Norwich, based at Hellesdon Park Industrial Estate, said their chief engineer Roy Rutland has been working on the scooter after the company's owner Carl Everitt arranged for the work to be carried out.

Mr Barnes said Mrs Bishop was 'quite distressed' when she initially contacted them.

He said: 'We always try to help out as best we can. We appreciate the mobility scooter for some people is their main transport.'