A WOMAN whose disabled husband was trapped in a car at a Dorset beauty spot was told police were "too busy" to help.

Jan Mitchell drove her 63-year-old husband John, who is paralysed from the neck down, to the Smugglers' Inn car park at Osmington Mills to soak up the sun and admire the view.

But she was shocked to find she had locked her car keys and mobile phone in the Citroen Berlingo by mistake, leaving her husband - who has suffered from multiple sclerosis for 35 years - to swelter inside as temperatures soared.

Mrs Mitchell, 58, of West Mills Road in Dorchester, could only watch in horror as he sweated out his ordeal for an hour-and-a-half.

She said: "I could see the sweat running down his arms and his shirt was getting stained darker and darker.

"I knew by his face he was worried and starting to panic."

The former Dorset County Council secretary rushed to the pub for help, where Smugglers Inn landlord Michael Rowe gave her the Dorchester police number.

But Mrs Mitchell said: "I had to explain the whole thing to two different people and was told they were too busy to send someone out.

"All they could suggest was breaking a window, which was not very helpful at all because I did not want to shower him with glass or smash the car up."

Mrs Mitchell said a big thank you to Mr Rowe for trying to open the car with a coathanger, laying a rug over the windows and staying with her despite the pub being swamped with customers.

Finally, he called the AA who came to the rescue in 10 minutes, and released Mr Mitchell, who was quickly revived with fresh air and a cool drink.

Mr Rowe, 42, said: "It was a pleasure to help - the police did not have a very helpful attitude, considering a disabled man was stuck there.

"When they gave Mrs Mitchell the brush-off she was very bewildered and concerned, wondering what she could do next."

Inspector Andy Mason, of Dorchester Police, said: "We were extremely busy during that time, and anybody in that situation would have been asked to open the windows and call motoring organisations for help.

"I fully appreciate it must have been a very distressing incident but all we could have done is broken a window for them."