THE hunt for an "extraordinary lady" and Good Samaritan whose heartwarming act of generosity left a Newport shopper "gobsmacked" has been successful.

A woman who paid for a couple's shopping has been in touch with the pair she helped after an appeal to track her down.

Derek Everett was at the checkout in the Sainsbury's store in Crindau on Monday afternoon when the card machine would not process his payment.

Neither of his bank cards were working, and when Mr Everett turned to apologise for the delay to the woman in the queue behind him, she said: "Use my card."

As the woman paid for the shocked Mr Everett's groceries, he hurried off to the supermarket's cash machine to take out some money.

But when he returned a few minutes later to reimburse the Good Samaritan, she had already left the shop.

Mr Everett was desperate to find the generous shopper.

Mr Everett's son, Gareth, told the Argus his dad was "totally shocked and overwhelmed somebody would do that for him.

In a Twitter post on Monday evening, he added: "I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the exceptionally kind lady who paid for my father's shopping."

"This act of generosity and kindness at a time when he was panicking has left him amazed, and genuinely stunned," Mr Everett's son wrote.

He added: "So whoever you are, we can't thank you enough for helping – you have certainly restored our faith in human kindness. I hope you get to see this message so that you realise how much your kindness has meant to him."

And this morning, the woman dropped him a line.

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Newport's own Good Samaritan - who has not been named - wrote to Gareth Everett saying: "I was concerned your dad would go without food, you never know if anyone is struggling especially after this last year.

"I would not want to see anyone struggle not just money wise but in general if I can do the smallest thing to help someone.

"I don't want the money back or to be in the limelight. I didn't do it for any of that I did it to make sure your dad didn't go without.

"I'm glad he's okay and thank you for your kind words but there really is no need to thank me."

Mr Everett's son added: "This extraordinary lady doesn't want the money back and doesn't want to be identified on social media, and I respect her immensely for it.

"But I feel that at this time when people are going through difficult experiences and looking for positives, then it is wrong that these kind of actions go unrecognised.

"My father is thrilled that we have been able to thank her, and let her know how much her kindness and generosity meant to him."

Mr Everett decided to donate the money to a food bank in Newport to "help spread the love and kindness this lady showed him."

"I hope her actions have put a ray of sunshine into someone else's life as well," he added.