A nine-year-old boy was distraught when he lost the money he’d planned on using to buy pet geckos but kind-hearted strangers saved the day.
Bobby Feely-Herron had been gifted £250 for his birthday by his parents, grandparents and auntie to buy two lizards.
The schoolboy and mum Claire had popped into Aldi on their way to pick them up when disaster struck.
The 40-year-old said her “heart dropped” when Bobby said that the money wasn’t in his pocket anymore.
The pair retraced their steps and asked Aldi staff to check CCTV but the money was nowhere to be seen.
Bobby had a “complete breakdown” when he realised that he wouldn’t be able to take home his new pets.
After Claire shared a post on Facebook asking for anyone who found the money to hand it in, kind strangers stepped in and offered to replace it.
“He’s had his heart set on getting a gecko for months,” Claire, from Deal, Kent, said.
“He went and picked two out and put a £80 deposit down for them a few weeks ago so he was already attached.
“We went to go shopping in Aldi before we picked the geckos up and he was supposed to leave the money in the car but he brought it with him.
“I told him to give it to me or put it in his pocket. “Then he said he’d lost it. “My heart sank and he was panicking.
“We checked his trouser leg and all his pockets. “It didn’t hit him properly until we got home, then he had a complete meltdown.
“It’s a big chunk of money and I didn’t have it spare to replace it.”
After posting an appeal on Facebook asking for the person who found the money to hand it in, Claire was inundated with messages from local people offering to help out.
The mum-of-two said: “I was hoping that someone with a conscience would hand it in.
“Someone suggested setting up a GoFundMe and people were saying that they wanted to donate.
“We raised £180. I couldn’t believe it.
“It was a really nice feeling that people came together to help him out. I thought it was so generous.
“I thought people were going to say he shouldn’t be carrying that amount of money around with him but people were lovely.
“He’s learned his lesson.
“Bobby was able to pick up his new pets, Luna and Asteroid, in time for his birthday today (26 Feb), as reported by What’s the Jam.
READ MORE: Heartwarming moment influencer James Charles saves lost dogs during LA wildfires
Claire added: “Gecko’s have been his special interest for months.
“I said if he wanted one then he had to do a lot of research on how to look after them.
“He did projects on where they come from and what they need.
“He’s obsessed with them and he’s so happy.
“We feed them crickets. They’re very chill and calming and he loves them.
“Bobby is so grateful.”
