A disabled woman feels as though a “guardian angel” was watching over her after a Good Samaritan came to her rescue.

Valerie Nelson, 51, of Cressing Road, Braintree, had two of the tyres on her silver Vauxhall Astra slashed earlier in the month.

Ms Nelson has had breast cancer twice, and the chemotherapy to treat this caused problems with the cartilage in her spine.

She suffers from severe back pain, having to rely on a stick and sometimes a wheelchair, to get around.

The thoughtless vandalism meant that she was unable to go anywhere, and had to cancel her plans to go to Felixstowe on a day trip last Monday 24.

She appealed for witnesses to the incident in the last week’s paper, hoping the vandal could be caught.

However, the article was seen by Mark Nicholson, who owns Witham-based firm The Tyre Shop, in Braintree Road.

The kindhearted man arranged to replace her tyres for free.

He and fitter Michael Ross drove to her house to fit the new tyres last Thursday 27, only hours after the article appeared.

Ms Nelson would have had to pay about £100 for the two tyres, which she couldn’t afford to do.

Mr Nicholson said: “I saw the article and thought that someone had to do something.

“It’s nice to be able to give something back.”

Ms Nelson said: “I can’t believe it - I never expected this, it’s brilliant.

“I’m not often speechless.

“‘Thank you’ just doesn’t seem to be enough for what the company has done.

“A guardian angel must have been watching over me.”