ON Friday, December 19, we were travelling from mid-Wales to London via Alvechurch, where we visited my brother-in-law, who lives in Snake Lane.

I inadvertently dropped my purse as I got out of the car but was unaware of this.

We later left to stay the night with another relative and I was shocked when I received a phone call saying three teenage boys had knocked at my brother-in-law's house to ask if he knew anyone by my name.

When told he did, the youths very trustingly handed over my purse.

You can imagine my immense relief when later that night I was able to check the purse and find that everything was still there - money, credit cards, store cards, personal papers and a national library users card from which they had made the original identification.

I presume they must have knocked at a nearby house first and been directed to my brother-in-law's house as we share the same surname.

I cannot praise the lads too highly.

I must admit the younger generation doesn't usually earn much praise from me these days.

However, these lads have restored my faith in human nature and very definitely deserve to be thanked for an act of great honesty.

I am sure they could have had a good evening out at my expense had they been less honest.

I have no idea who they are but I would like to let them know how much it meant to me to have my purse back intact.

Thank you boys, whoever you are. If I were your mum, I would be very proud of you.

I will be making a donation to a local school by way of thanks.

About 18 months ago, while staying with my brother in Hollywood, his house was burgled, my purse and keys were stolen and, as a consequence, so was our car. It was never found.

You can imagine my sense of dj vu when I realised my purse had gone missing again.

This time, thank goodness, there was a much happier ending.

Name supplied

Llandrindod Wells

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