During the late evening of July 19, my car, parked outside my house, was severely damaged by a passing vandal, who wrenched off the passenger door and damaged wiring extensively.

The police were called by a neighbour and, without rousing me, a decision was made to send the car to a pound at Bolney for forensic examination.

I knew nothing of all this until the next morning when, at 8.30am, a couple of very helpful police officers arrived to interview me.

I could tell them nothing relevant, since I was asleep at the time of the wilful damage.

I have not seen the car in its damaged state, not even a photograph.

The insurance company moved it to Goring, where they expect to list it as a write-off. They loaned me a car for four days but have now taken it away.

While all this was happening, the remarking of Portland Road took place and my designated parking bay has been re-allocated as a general parking bay.

At the town hall, officials say they have no record of my designated parking bay, though I have the correspondence from six years ago when they set it up.

Care agencies for the aged, when contacted, have offered no help.

And this is the month in which we are supposed to be Celebrating Age. No wonder Brighton and Hove City Council cancelled all the events proposed for this week at Hove Town Hall.

The general feeling of the elderly is of powerlessness against the rising tide of mindless vandalism, against the faceless bureaucrats who deny records and against the care agencies who do nothing practical to help.

-Gordon Peter, Hove