Pensioners have been left stranded after their electric scooters were destroyed by fire.

They were evacuated from their beds after a blaze ripped through a store room at Stansfield Court residential home, in Stansfield Road, Benfleet.

Gutted - residents Michael Hall and Lilian Cale survey the scooters destroyed in the blaze Picture: TERENCE BUNCH

Firefighters took half-an-hour to control the "spectacular" fire, but were unable to save six electric scooters the residents rely on for much of their mobility.

Residential warden Dave Waterman said: "Unfortunately, they will be without their scooters which they do depend on."

"It looks like a Formula One crash wreck as they are all lined up."

The fire started in a store room used for charging the electric scooters.

Mr Waterman estimated they will cost up to £3,000 each to replace but thought most of them were insured.

Published Tuesday, April 15, 2003

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