A DISABLED man lost his �1,000 car after it was seized by police, and he could not afford to pay for its recovery, magistrates were told.

Mark Tovell - who has undergone amputation on his feet - had to surrender his car when police discovered he was driving without insurance.

“I have been in so much pain, I was on 42 tablets at the time, and I had other things on my mind,” he explained at Ely courthouse.

Tovell said he had bought car insurance over the internet, at a cost of �96, but told the court: “I obviously clicked the wrong button.”

Tovell, 47, of Upware Marina, admitted using a Vauxhall Vectra without insurance on the A142 at Stuntney on April 8. His policy had expired in February.

“I have been driving for 31 or 32 years, and have always had tax, insurance and an MoT,” he said. “I went on line and changed my policy from fully comprehensive to third party, and clicked all the buttons. I honestly believed I had done that, but I did not check the certificate when it came.”

Fining Tovell �100, with six points on his licence, presiding magistrate Hamish Ross said: “This was a genuine mistake, but two months without insurance is quite a large gap.” Tovell must pay �35 costs and a �15 surcharge.