The devastated parents of a teenager with cerebral palsy have launched a campaign after her speech machine, the one way she has of communicating, was stolen from their car.

16-year-old Miya Thirlby's specially-programmed machine, called a liberator accent 100, costs £6,000 and took the family six months to acquire and program three years ago.

The theft took place overnight between January 8 and 9 when someone gained access to a blue VW vehicle in Pennycross and snatched a speech generating device.

Her father, Paul Johnson 40, said she has been unable to communicate since Tuesday when a thief broke into his car and stole the device. He has started a social media search, and his tweet has been shared 6,000 times.

Mr Johnson, from Pennycross, Plymouth, told The Telegraph that he was shocked by the kindness of strangers, who have offered to help him pay for a new one, and the many people, including former footballer Alan Shearer, who have messaged lending their support.