Lisburn man thanks stranger for act of kindness after they pay for his entire shopping bill, worth £83

A Lisburn gentleman, who wishes to remain anonymous, has praised an act of kindness he experienced last night (Monday, 22 August) at Sainsbury's, Sprucefield, when a kind-hearted Christian woman stepped forward to pay his £83 shopping bill after a banking mix-up meant that his own bank card would not work.

The local, whose wife sadly passed away last year, was shopping for groceries at Sainsbury's at 8.30pm last night and was at the top of the queue when his card was refused after a bank worker had mistakenly blocked his card.

''I got to the top of the queue, all of my shopping had been scanned through, I got my bank card out - and it was refused,'' reveals the local gentleman in shock.

''So I tried another, and they had somehow managed to block my other card as well!

''I asked the woman at the till to please put the ice-cream back in the freezer and I promised that I would nip home and be back in 45 minutes with cash to pay.

''There were three people in the queue, and the woman at the back stepped up and said, ''I'll pay for this.''

''It was such a lovely gesture and so well appreciated,'' he explains. ''And I understand why, as she was a kind-hearted Christian woman.

''So rather than holding up the queue discussing it, I accepted her kind offer and she told me to simply pass on the kindness.''

The local man then waited outside the shop to thank the woman for her generosity, who reiterated her wish that he simply ''pay it forward'' and declined to give any details to allow the money to be returned.

Upon returning home, the gentleman fulfilled his promise to his kind-hearted benefactor, by contacting Rev Leslie Patterson, Minister of Cargycreevy Presbyterian church, straight away.

''I thought that, rather than going along to my local Sainsbury's and paying for someone's shopping who could probably afford it, I would make sure that the money goes to someone truly in need of it.

''So I asked whether there were any families struggling to make ends meet so I could return this kind woman's generosity. It was then that Leslie suggested Ballynahinch Food Bank as they are appealing for donations and food.

''I rounded off the total to £100, wrote a cheque and asked Lesley to ensure the Food Bank receives it.

''I have no way of letting the kind woman know how grateful and how generous it was of her to help me and make such a big effort.

''I just wanted to tell her thank you, and to let her know I have paid her kind act of generosity forward to the Ballynahinch Food Bank on her behalf.

''It was such a nice thing of her to do and I have no way of letting the lady know that I have fulfilled my promise.

''I would love for her to see this and just know that I appreciate her so much for what she did.''