A city charity that helps people with learning disabilities was left fuming after vandals drilled holes in the fuel tank of its minibus.
Create Aberdeen, which provides activities and support for adults with additional support needs, was faced with cancelling several activities after thieves drained the diesel from the vehicle.
The local community, however, rallied round to ferry service users around in cars, and a big-hearted mechanic who heard of the group’s troubles offered to fix the problem.
The minibus had been parked on Thursday night at the Hilton Community Centre car park on Hilton Road.
People took to the charity’s Facebook page in their hundreds to register their disgust at the damage.
Liz Taylor said: “That is so bad. What horrible people. My daughter goes there and will be so disappointed when she finds out she won’t be able to go to her bowling, as will all the other young adults.”
Create Aberdeen service manager Alex Constantinides said: “In the morning there was a big puddle of diesel visible beneath the bus.
“We got a mechanic out to take a look at it and he said somebody had drilled two holes in the tank and taken as much diesel as they could.
“You wouldn’t think it would happen to a community charity that helps people with learning disabilities.
“It just makes me feel so angry. We are not a well-funded group and certainly don’t have the money to get it fixed quickly.
“We’ve managed to work round it so far, by galvanising all the staff who own cars.
“And now the owner of the Rosebank Garage in Ferryhill, Allan Watt has offered to fix it, the minibus will be back on the road very soon.
“It’s a lifesaver as it means it will only have been off the road for two weekdays.
“If it was off the road for a week or more it would affect a lot of people quite badly.
“To have it fixed free of charge is just fantastic, otherwise it would have been a big cost for us.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with the kindness of people. Complete strangers have offered to help. A local Scout group offered to lend us their van.”