A town schoolboy has raised £50 for a Newport pensioner after feeling sorry for her after all her holiday money was lost.
Thirteen-year-old Aaron Brunger, from Edgmond raised the cash with the help of Newport Lions by selling items on a stall at Newport Show.
This week he knocked on 77-year-old, Barbara Wickstead’s door and handed over the cash to help cheer her up.
Mrs Wickstead and three friends lost more than £1,000 in July after Butters Coaches folded and couldn’t return their advance payment.
She said the donation came as great surprise and it was an incredible act of generosity.
“I would like to thank Aaron and it goes to show young people really do care,” she said.
“He read the story that was on the front page of the Advertiser about us losing our money and he said that a pensioner could not afford that.
“So he raised the money at the stall and he knocked on my door this week and hand delivered it to me. It was a real surprise.”
Burton Borough student Aaron, who celebrated his birthday yesterday said he was sad to read about Mrs Wickstead’s story.
He said: “I think she is a really nice old lady and she is always smiling.
“When I read the article about her losing the holiday money I thought I would sell some of my stuff and give her the money. I thought that myself and my mum should help her.
“My mum is member of the Newport Lions and they had a stall at the Newport Show so I asked if I could have space to sell some items.
“I sold lots of things from books to shampoo.”
Mrs Wickstead runs monthly coach tours from Newport with her friend Jeanne Harper.
But this year their holiday plans to travel to the Isle of White were ruined when the trip was cancelled and not refunded.
Aaron’s mother Yvonne Brunger said she was very proud of her son.
She said: “Aaron reads the local paper all the time and he read the story about Babara who only lives around the corner from us.
“He decided he should do something about it, he is always thinking about others.
“It was entirely his own idea and I am very proud of him.”
By Sam Pinnington