A 68-year-old woman has been astounded by the support she has received after her mobility scooter was stolen.

Kate Felton is a former Peel commissioner and was a teacher at the Queen Elizabeth II High School in the town.

Her scooter was stolen and vandalised but the community has rallied round to raise £920 so far to repair it for her.

Kate said: ’I have been totally overwhelmed by the kind messages of support and cash donations. It just goes to show that there are some wonderful people in the world.’

She is a popular character around Peel and her scooter, which she calls the ’Katemobile’, can usually be seen parked outside her apartment in the Market Place.

Kate has chronic arthritis in both knees and a damaged coccyx caused by falling off a chair when she was teaching. She is only able to walk a very short distance.

But when she came out of her flat on Wednesday morning last week she found that her scooter, which had been locked to a pole, had vanished.

Kate said: ’The police returned it to me on Friday Apparently whoever took it had pushed it up to the campsite, unscrewed the console, hotwired it and driven it round and round the site until the battery went flat. It was then dumped in a hedge.

’But one of my Facebook friends, Anita Moon, who lives in New Zealand, contacted Alex George, the former TT rider and current TT Riders’ Association President, and he set up a "Go Fund Me" account linked to the TT Facebook page. To date the donations have reached £920!

’I am going to suggest to Alex George that whatever cash is leftover is split three ways between The Helicopter Fund, The Joey Dunlop Foundation and The Rob Vine Fund.

’I have been very touched by the kind messages and an amazing show of support for which I am extremely grateful.’

Alex George, from Wymondham in Norfolk, says on the GoFundMe page: ’Obviously an errant drunk fan has had some fun at Kate’s expense.

’Kate had offered shelter and food to fans in trouble with the weather. I think this a great way of rewarding her for her kindness.’

Kate’s scooter is now being fixed by former pupil Adam Kearsley and the money will also pay for a ramp to be built so she can take it inside the building rather than leave it outside in the Market Place.

You can donate to the fund here www.gofundme.com/kates-mobility-scooter