A SINGLE mum woke to find the scooter she relies on to get to work had been stolen and torched.

Anne Pavelin, manager of a Poole garage, eventually found the vehicle after searching the Slades Farm area.

The scooter was in an undercover shelter and still warm.

Ms Pavelin said it was the second vehicle stolen from her property, and that the area round Slades Farm was becoming a den of anti-social activity.

“There are gangs of nine or ten young kids vandalising the area, drinking and taking drugs,” she said.

“I tried to confront them but they threatened me and swore at me.”

Ms Pavelin had to borrow money from her boss to buy the scooter so she could get into work on time, and she still owes payments.

She also revealed that she could not afford to pay for fire and theft insurance, so she will not be able to reclaim any money.

“These kids just don’t realise what they’re doing, that scooter was my only mode of transport to and from work,” she added.

“I live near Slades Farm and work in Poole, so now I’ll have to wake at 4:30am and walk for an hour and a half to get in on time.”

Slades Farm was the site of another incident of anti-social behaviour in the early hours of Thursday morning, as the velodrome track was sprayed with graffiti, rendering it unusable.

Velodrome manager Alan McRae said: “You can’t afford to have any other material on the track, no one can use it at the moment.

“The track is a focus for the community and somebody has done this. It’s heartbreaking.”

Bournemouth council parks manager Rob Allardyce said: “The police have been made aware of the situation at Slades Farm and will be stepping up their patrols in that area.”