A DISABLED pensioner faces a barrage of abuse every time he leaves his Winsford home on his mobility scooter.

George Smith, 78, says his scooter is his only means of getting out of his house in Brecon Way and he does not deserve the torrent of abuse hurled at him from motorists.

“I have heard some filthy language telling me to get off the road and it’s not acceptable,” he said.

“It’s my only way of getting out because I live alone and do all my own shopping and I don’t think that I deserve this.”

The ex-naval man, who fought in the Korean War, said he has just as much right to be on the road as everyone else.

He added: “I’ve got road tax, insurance, indicator lights – everything.

“These people think they know the law, but if they took a bit of time to look they would see that I have road tax.

“What people don’t realise is that some of us, like me, used to drive a car – we do know the roads. I let people past and I move out of the way – I don’t need this filthy language coming out.”

George, who lost his 97-year-old brother Sidney last week, has had a scooter for 15 years since he had to give his car up following a stroke.

He suffers from pulmonary lung disease and diabetes and says his scooter, which has a top-speed of 8mph, is his lifeline.

“It’s very important that I have my scooter because I can’t walk very far at all,” he added.

“I go out on it every day, I’m never off it – it’s my lifeline.”

George is a well-known face around Winsford as his pet dog Titch used to hitch a ride with him on his scooter before it passed away.

The pensioner says he knows other scooter riders in Winsford who face the same level of abuse.

He added: “It doesn’t put me off going out because I’m made of sturdier stuff than that, but these people want shaking up.”

What do you think of the way George is treated? Let us know on our website winsfordguardian.co.uk.