Disabled pensioner Jimmy Cavanagh has to park his mobility scooter in the living room because thieves steal it if he leaves it in the street.

The retired council worker—who suffers acute arthritis of the spine—struggles to lift it over his front doorstep at his home in London’s East End.

He has urged Tower Hamlets Community Housing to cut a hole in his back garden fence so he can park the vehicle securely.

The housing office sent officials to measure up at the ground-floor flat in Argus House in Old Bethnal Green Road—but that was a year ago.

“They won’t let me park in the corridor because of safety,” said 65-year-old Jim.

“So I have to heave it in to my living room—but it’s hard lifting it over the step and twisting it round to get it inside.”

He has had two stolen outside, but the Mobility charity which provided the scooters told him the insurance won’t cover another loss, according to Jim.

“Leaving this one out will get it nicked,” he added. “The insurance won’t pay out any more.”

He has a letter from his GP pointing out he has severe lymphoedema and requires an electric scooter.

The letter adds: “There is a simple solution—he has a garden and if a gate could be constructed he could drive through and prevent having to lift up his heavy scooter.”

His landlords applied for a grant from the Town Hall’s community occupational service, without success.

A Community Housing spokesman said: “We have no funding ourselves and applied for a grant last summer—but were told there were no funds. We are applying again on Mr Cavanagh’s behalf.”

They want £7,500 for paving, fencing, a gate, shed and electric cables to recharging the scooter.