A NURSE today appealed for the return of new equipment stolen from a grandmother who was out shopping.

Urgent plea - Sally Philpott, head and neck cancer nurse specialist, with a Servox digital speech aid, similar to the one stolen by thieves.

The Servox voice amplifier was the only way the 70-year-old woman could make herself heard following a laryngectomy - removal of the voice box - after she was diagnosed with cancer.

It was stolen when the woman, from the New Town area of Colchester, put the amplifier down to pay at the check-out at Tesco, The Hythe, Colchester.

Sally Philpott, head and neck cancer nurse specialist at Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, said the woman had been using the £500 amplifier for only a week after it was bought for her by the Colchester Catalyst charity.

"The laryngectomy was a curative operation so she no longer has cancer but can speak only with the aid of the amplifier," said Mrs Philpott.

"It is of absolutely no value at all to anyone else and I can only assume it was stolen because at first glance it could be mistaken for a large mobile phone.

"Luckily, she has been able to borrow a spare amplifier from another laryngectomy patient but she wants her new one back and is quite badly shaken up by the experience."

It was stolen after the woman, who lives on her own, put it down as she was paying at the check-out at about 3.30pm last Saturday.

Tesco were very helpful and were checking their CCTV coverage, she added.

Mrs Philpott appealed for the return of the amplifier and asked for anyone who can help to contact her via the switchboard at Colchester General Hospital on 01206 747474.

Alternatively, it can be returned to the hospital's speech and language therapy department.

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Published Friday, November 18, 2005

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