The vessel which a father used to help his son recover from a stroke was stolen from its moorings and has been found.

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27 November 2015

A woman who read about the theft of a family boat has helped to return it to its rightful owners.

The 15ft Bonnie Dorris that owner Ron Offord, his son and grandchildren all adored was found Wednesday morning under a tree, Thameside, close to Penton Hook Lock in Staines, Surrey.

The boat had helped Offord’s son, Luke, recover from a stroke in 2013.

Offord, 67, had no idea where the boat had gone and was looking downstream when the boat was found upstream from where it was moored in Shepperton, Surrey. It had been broken into and, according to Offord, likely towed upstream before the thieves took fishing gear and fish finders worth around £1,500.

Mr Offord called the boat the perfect boat to fish in, and said his family, and particularly his son, were upset when it was stolen.

“When my son was 40 he had a stroke and it’s affected mostly his speech,” Mr Offord said.

“For him to go out on the boat, it was a form of convalescence. He loved it. For him that was better than any medication. He was heartbroken [when it was stolen].”

Offord said he was happy the boat had been found and thanked the community for their help.

25 November 2015

A boat a man used to help his son recover from a stroke has been stolen from its mooring at Ferry Point in Shepperton, Surrey.

The Bonnie Doris, a 15ft vessel, is believed  to have been stolen between Monday November 9 and Tuesday November 10 from Ferry Lane.

The boat is worth more than £10,000, but it’s her role in the recovery from a stroke of owner Ron Offord’s son that makes her particularly special.

“We bought the boat three years ago and it holds great sentimental value to me and my family,” said Mr Offord.

“My son suffered from a stroke two years ago and the boat has really helped with his recuperation.”

The boat is a cream Quicksilver, 15ft long,  has a 40hp Mercury motor attached and her name is printed on the side.

Shepperton PCSO, Colin Gibbons, said: “We are urging members of the public to come forward with any information they may have which could help us determine the whereabouts of this boat.

“If you were around the area in the evening of Monday November 9 or the early hours of Tuesday November 10 and saw anybody acting suspiciously please call us.

“This boat means a lot to the family who owned it and we are committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice and returning the oat to its rightful owner.”

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the boat, contact Surrey Police quoting the reference number 45150102275.