A DISABLED pensioner left stranded when his electric wheelchair lost power has praised a group of youngsters who came to his rescue.

Grandfather-of-nine James Salter, 68, who has cerebral palsy and has used a wheelchair for the past 15 years, was stuck when his powered wheelchair came to a standstill while he was shopping in Blackburn town centre last week.

But to his surprise a group of teenagers came to his aid in the pouring rain and pushed him the mile back to his home in Coniston Road, Little Harwood.

Mr Salter, who lives with his wife Jean, had been shopping in the town centre when the wheelchair lost power.

Now he wants to thank the group of youngsters, three boys and a girl, aged about 13 or 14, who came over and offered their help.

Mr Salter, a former mill worker, asked them if they would push him to the taxi rank, where he could get a taxi with wheelchair access, but the youngsters offered to push him all the way home and even helped him into his house.

He said: "They pushed me all the way home and helped me down my hallway too.

"I offered them £5 for their good deed but they said they would not take any money and then they went.

"I don't know who they were but they said they lived in Little Harwood.

"I never really got a chance to thank them properly but there help was invaluable.

"They were real good Samaritans because it was throwing it down with rain at the time.

"A motorist actually stopped because they thought the kids were giving me trouble but I said they were helping me.

"You read so much in the paper these days about children misbehaving but there are some really good kids out there."

Vicky Shepard, services development manager at Age Concern, Blackburn, thanked the group for their assistance and urged others to do likewise.

She said: "It is good to hear that these youngsters took time to go out of their way to ensure that this gentleman got home safely.

"We are sure that their efforts helped him at what must have been a very distressing time."