Stolen wheelchair is found safe

DISABLED Channel swimmer Philippe Croizon has had his stolen wheelchair found safe after a bus driver spotted it dumped on a car park near Dieppe.

The quadruple amputee said he got a phone call from the man, who drives a bus for handicapped people in the Dieppe area, and who had seen the wheelchair and stored it on the bus for safety. He had not known it was Philippe’s until seeing a TV news report.

It was undamaged and he will pick it up on Thursday from the police station in Dieppe.

On his Twitter account Philippe thanked all those who had broadcast his appeals to get the wheelchair back. He said: “Thanks to you all, you internet users have been incredible. Thanks to the media. Thanks to the police.”

Yesterday he even got a call from Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to say he was keeping an eye on developments.

Philippe swam the Channel in 2010 and last year he and swimming partner Arnaud Chassery became the first people to swim between all five continents.

See also:Thieves steal wheelchair