TV SHOW Top Gear could have inspired a prank to topple a pensioner’s Reliant Robin car, police said last night.

Stanley Turner was woken by his neighbours after they saw vandals pushing the three-wheeler onto its side outside his home in Wheatley.

The 72-year-old was forced to call police to help him lift the car back onto its wheels, but it was left with a smashed indicator light, the rear window had fallen out and the paintwork was damaged.

Police believe Saturday’s prank may be a copy-cat of a stunt on an episode of Top Gear aired in May, where presenter Jeremy Clarkson drove through Yorkshire in a Reliant Robin which was seen regularly flipping on its side.

Mr Clarkson, 50, who lives near Chipping Norton, was then helped to right the car back onto its wheels by a number of celebrities.

Last night Mr Turner, a former maintenance worker at Radley College who works part time collecting trolleys at Tesco in Cowley, Oxford, said: “I think they were just yobs. They were bored and, because it’s easy to do so, they tipped my car over.

“It went into my neighbour’s flower garden and hit the kerb stones. The carpet went everywhere, the spare wheel went flying and rainwater went all the way through.”

Mr Turner, from St Mary’s Close, bought the S registration car 11 years ago for £9,000 after failing his driving test twice. He is allowed to drive it on a motorcycle licence.

Pc Jon Shaw believed the incident might have been inspired by Top Gear.

He said: “This is a mindless act of vandalism that has left an elderly man without access to a much-needed vehicle that he relies on heavily.

“I am aware that following a recent episode of the BBC show Top Gear, in which a presenter demonstrated one of these vehicles being turned over, there has been a surge nationally in this type of incident.

“This type of behaviour is not going to be tolerated by Thames Valley Police and I would urge anyone with information about who carried out this pointless act to come forward and speak to us.”

In a statement, the BBC said: “We do not condone this behaviour.”

Anyone with information about the vandalism should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk