Oscar Knight, the 10-year-old who was robbed of his rehabilitation hopes after thieves stole the kayaks he and his family use, is back on the water – thanks to a kind-hearted benefactor.

Going out on the water with parents Natasha and Will was the only exercise and enjoyment the wheelchair- bound youngster could take part in until the kayaks were stolen last month.

But now RNLI sea safety officer John Yunnie has come to the rescue and offered the family permanent use of his own kayak.

RNLI sea safety officer John, who lives in Blackawton, learned about Oscar's plight in last week's Dartmouth Chronicle.

'I am more than happy to help them out. The kayak is there for his rehabilitation and if at some time in the future they don't use it, they can hand it back to me,' he said.

Oscar's mum Natasha said of the offer: 'I was very surprised that somebody could be that kind.

'We are very happy and very grateful.'

Oscar suffers from a disorder of the nervous system called complex regional pain syndrome which has left him in increasing pain since he was just five years old.

He was wheelchair-bound until he underwent intensive physiotherapy at the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London earlier this year.

The youngster was able to go to school after the hospital treatment but in June he suffered a major relapse and is now confined to a wheelchair.

The family, who live in Victoria Road, Dartmouth, regularly took Oscar out on kayaks loaned to them by Dartmouth businesswoman Jo Smith until her two kayaks worth £700 were stolen from where they were being stored at Warfleet Creek a fortnight ago.

John said that he had bought his 14ft kayak some three years ago but had only ever used it once after suffering a leg injury.

He said he had planned to sell the craft until he spotted the story about Oscar in the Chronicle.

Natasha said the family plan to store the kayak under lock and key so that thieves cannot strike again.

'I think what Mr Yunnie has done is amazing. Oscar was really pleased when we told him,' Natasha added.