SEVEN-year-old Marc Witton was overjoyed when he got a stylish mini-scooter for Christmas.

Less than a month later though, the youngster was devastated when it was stolen from outside a cafe in Rainford.

The theft happened during the morning of Saturday, January 13 by the Tartan Tea Rooms where Marc had left the scooter while visiting mum Karen who works there.

Karen, a single mother-of-three from Derby Drive, Rainford, said: "Marc left the scooter at the back of the Tea Rooms but by 11am when my mum popped in, it had gone. I saved up specially to buy Marc and his sister, Georgina a really good one each for Christmas. Now there is no way I can afford another at the moment."

And Marc's grandmother, Barbara Bennett, added: "Whoever has taken this has no idea how unhappy they have made a little boy. Marc had wanted a scooter for months and he is just heartbroken. My daughter has worked hard to provide her children with as much as she can. I am begging anyone who knows where it might be to contact the police."

Marc's mini-scooter is silver and blue-coloured with blue hand-grips, blue wheels and a blue rod and has Tami Talos written in white on the front.

Anyone with information can contact St Helens Police Incident Management Unit on 0151 777 6969 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.