An elderly lady was in tears after her car window was smashed in during the early morning.

The devastated 92-year-old, who lives in Anson Chase, Shoebury, could not afford to get her car’s rear window replaced after the incident in Elm Road.

However, her neighbours plan to group together and help her pay for the fix.

The elderly woman’s next door neighbour was the first to discover her car had been vandalised.

The single mother-of-two, who asked not to be named, said: “I had just arrived home after spending some time away on holiday.

“We always park off our road as we are afraid of our cars being vandalised like this.

“I pulled in and there was glass all over the floor. They had smashed her rear window in completely.

“I knocked on her door and she just started to break down in tears.”

The woman lives on her own after the sad loss of her husband.

She feared that she could not afford to pay the £250 insurance excess to replace the window in her silver 2005 Toyota Yaris.

Her neighbour said: “I put a post on social media because I wanted to raise awareness of what had happened.

“I do not think she has the money to fix it herself, which is why we suggested we should get together and raise the money for her.”

The car’s window is currently covered with cling film, taped around the edge of the broken glass.

The woman added: “There are now ten or 15 people who want to get involved and raise the money to replace the window.

“All of our neighbours are talking about how much money we need to raise and when we know.

“They want to start a fundraising page online to raise the money for the fix.”

Essex Police released a statement, requesting anyone with information to come forward about the incident. An Essex Police spokesman, said: “We were called at around 9am on May 21 by a woman who reported the window of her car had been damaged at some point between May 19 and May 21.

“It had been parked in Elm Road, Shoebury.

“If you have any information about the incident please call us on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/70545/18.”

Anyone with information can also report it anonymously to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or fill in the online form at crimestoppers-uk.org