Bionic guinea pig uses custom-Made wheelchair to get back on her feet

PATCH the guinea pig has a new lease of life thanks to the ingenuity of a Saffron Walden-based engineer.

Patch lost the use of her back legs after an accident and her owners wanted to find a way to help the one year old guinea pig get her mobility back.

Paul Scott stepped in to help and with a few items he had lying around the house and a little creative thinking, he was able to design and build a bespoke guinea pig wheelchair for the much-loved pet.

Her owners, Helena and Rowan Auty, aged six and three, are delighted Patch is back to her old self again.

Paul said: "I was really pleased to be able to help. The children's mum and my wife are friends so that's how I got involved. I built the wheelchair for Patch with a pair of wheels from a child's wagon, an adult-size skateboard knee pad and some elasticated Velcro.

"Helena and Rowan were really upset when Patch wasn't able to use her back legs any more but now she's back to her old self - she's eating, socialising and getting about her run just as she used to, which is great to see.

"Patch has now in fact regained the use of her back legs to some extent, but the wheelchair is still very handy for her when she's out in her run."

Helena and Rowan's mum, Becky, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Patch is back to her old self and we are really grateful to Paul for saving the day."

Paul describes himself as a motorbike "artisan and designer", as well as a "basic all-round metal worker", from run of the mill agricultural repairs, to work he does for a couple of contemporary furniture designers.

"I've worked on many projects, from furniture making to building custom motorbikes," he said. "But this has got to be the most unusual requests I've ever had!"

To see an example of Paul's bike-building skills, visit www.chopper-club.com/essex/Essexbikes.htm