Kind-hearted Mercury readers have helped a nine-year-old girl from Gorleston become reunited with a birthday present she thought she would never see again.
Elise Coleman was given the gift by her friend but her grandmother lost it while pushing it home in a pram on Saturday, July 7.
A woman then found the Next paper gift bag at the bus stop near the town hall and took it to the shop in the hope of tracing the owner, but they were unable to help as it had been paid for in cash.
From there the woman asked a radio station to help, but they were also unable to assist, so she contacted this newspaper.
Elise’s mum, Megan Helmore, said she thought the present was gone for good prior to reading the appeal on the Mercury website.
She said: “Someone I know had shared the article on Facebook and I’d just got in from work so I thought I’d have a look and I thought it sounded very familiar.
“I rang and asked my mum to make sure she had walked past the town hall and she said she had, so I thought I would send an email and see if it was my daughter’s.
“We didn’t think we would see it again. We knew the person had paid cash for it so it couldn’t be traced, so we just assumed somebody would either take it back and keep the money or they would keep it for themselves or someone they knew.
“Goes to show how amazing some people can be.”
After liaising with the Mercury, Miss Helmore and Elise arranged to collect the present from the woman on Thursday, July 19.
Miss Helmore said: “Elise was upset because she hadn’t even opened it so she didn’t know what was in it.
“Elise brought her some chocolates and flowers to say thank you. She was ever so happy when we went to get them.”
And after quite the journey the present was thankfully well-received by Elise.
Miss Helmore said: “It was a My Little Pony nightie and t-shirt and she likes them both. She has been wearing the t-shirt already.”
• Is there anything Mercury readers can do for you? Let us know by writing to the paper at our Great Yarmouth office: Great Yarmouth Mercury, 12-13 King Street, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 2BA.
You can call our offices on 01493 847958 or email jacob.massey@archant.co.uk
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