Queen mum's medical records abandoned in London street by thieves

The thieves ransacked the car of Roger Vickers, the queen mother's orthopaedic specialist, while it was parked in a busy street in London's upmarket Mayfair district, apparently discarding the files contained in a briefcase as worthless.

A passing shopper spotted the briefcase in the road and handed it to the police, who informed Buckingham Palace.

An elite police unit from London's Scotland Yard was activated to track down the culprits, the tabloid reported, while the files were returned to her home at Clarence House near Buckingham Palace in London by late Tuesday. Police said no arrests had been made.

Vickers performed both the queen mother's hip replacements, and has also operated on her grandson Prince Charles.

Staff at Clarence House reported that the queen mother, who turned 100 in August, was doing well after breaking her collar bone in a fall at her home last month.

Queen Elizabeth said on Tuesday that her mother was recovering but that the injury was "painful".

(la/dpa)