When Don Collier and Heather Smith got back from a recent holiday to find several messages on their answer phone from Mobility Centre in Tauranga, they thought there was something wrong with the Pride mobility scooter they had bought in January.

So, while they were in downtown Tauranga shopping, they popped into Mobility Centre on Devonport Road and it was then, that store manager Mandy Bagri gave them the good news – they had won back the purchase price of their Pride Pathfinder 140XL.

'We've never won anything before in our lives,” says Don, who had bought the scooter primarily for its bright yellow colour.

The former truck driver and carpenter decided he needed a mobility scooter when breathing problems meant while he could leave his Judea home on foot to go out, he had difficulty getting back home again up the hill.

'I was getting irritated at not being able to get out.”

When he saw the scooter in Mobility Centre, he fell in love with it. At $5995, it was slightly more than he had anticipated spending, but the Pride Pathrider 140XL fitted his lifestyle.

It is designed to go long distances in comfort with a top speed of 15 km/hour and it easily negotiates the hill up to their home.

'It had my name written all over it,” says Don.

Heather, his partner of 27 years, says she is thrilled for Don.

'It's given him a bit more independence again,” she says.

'He can get out if he needs to without relying on me to take him.”

The promotion with Pride began in November and ended on January 31.

Every Pride mobility scooter purchaser went into the draw.

The couple were full of praise for retail assistant Bev McNae who guided them through the purchase, ensuring the model was the right one and would suit their needs.

'Bev was terrific, Mandy was excellent, and Gary dropped it off to us. Great service,” says Don.

Mandy says she is thrilled it is one of her Mobility Centre Tauranga store clients who won their purchase money back.

'We were so excited when we found out it was Don. Heather was in tears when we gave them the big news in person,” says Mandy.

'Bev played a huge role in making this sale happen. We like to spend time with our clients, so they get the right mobility scooter for them.

'We talk about how they will be using the scooter, what sort of distances and terrain they will be travelling, their build, height and weight and what they might be carrying on the scooter.”

Mobility Centre service manager Todd Stephenson says: 'We're really grateful to Pride for their assistance with the promotion. I'm thrilled for Don that we could make a difference in his life.”