A Deal pensioner has publicly thanked a good Samaritan who came to her rescue at the checkout in Tesco, where he paid the deficit of her £75 shopping bill.

Disabled Barbara Troke, 76, had been happily filling her trolley with groceries, tins and cat food in the Whitfield store before she realised at the tills she had forgotten her debit card.

With only about £60 in her purse, she was then saved from embarrassment when a mystery gentleman paid the remainder.

Now Mrs Troke, of Victoria Mews, Bridgeside, wants to thank the generous stranger properly.

She said: “I’ve got to 76 years old and this sort of thing never happens to me.

“I never knew him from Adam. I said I would put some things back from my trolley but he said ‘no’.”

She described the man as between 45 and 55 years old, and wearing dark clothes.

"I don’t know whether it was the kindness or shock. I just kept saying thank you to him..." - Barbara Troke

He had wine and trainers in his trolley. It is not clear whether he was from Deal or Dover because he would not give her his address when Mrs Troke asked if she could repay him.

The gesture reduced the pensioner to tears when she left the checkout area.

She said: “I don’t know whether it was the kindness or shock. I just kept saying thank you to him.”

Mrs Troke, who used to live in London, added: “These days people would rather take than give.

“I’ve given so much away of my own stuff to people that are hard up. Maybe It’s starting to come back to me.

“On the way out I said to the assistant that I couldn’t believe it and I asked if it often happened. He said it does happen but it’s very rare.”

If you know who Barbara Troke’s good Samaritan was, please call the East Kent Mercury on 01304 365526.