An autistic teenager hit the right note with shoppers when he turned to busking to make back cash stolen from him.

Ben Saunders collected £15 and a sandwich in four hours after he played his makeshift didgeridoo in Sittingbourne High Street on Sunday.

The 16-year-old came up with the idea after he was left out of pocket when a woman snatched a £10 note from his hand and ran off with it.

The theft happened in the area of Pembury Court sometime between 5.30pm and 6pm on Saturday just moments after Ben had enjoyed a day out with his family watching the town carnival.

The Year 12 student, who attends the New School near Sevenoaks, has Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD and social and emotional difficulties.

He said: “It was money I had saved from birthdays and that. I went home and I was frustrated and I didn’t know what to do with myself.

"I went to bed and thought ‘I don’t care, I’m going to do whatever it takes to earn that money back’. I saw the didgeridoo and thought ‘I’ll play it in town and give it a go’.

“It’s just a piece of PVC tubing with putty on the end of it. I learned to play it at school. I only thought I’d make £2 or £3 so I was amazed I made £15.

“A man even gave me a sandwich, an oval chargrill chicken bite, because he thought I was hungry. I’m quite chuffed with myself.”

Speaking at the family home in Quinton, his mum Maria Jones, 35, said: “That particular day he didn’t want to hang around with his family and it was a warm bright day so I thought I’d let him go off on his own.

“I’m trying to let him grow up and be an adult but I do find it hard because of his condition. I didn’t think anything would happen to him.

“I even spoke to him the night before about not speaking to strangers, then he loses his money.

“Unfortunately he learned a hard lesson in life. When he told me about going busking I was a bit sceptical but he did well. I’m very proud of him.”

Police are investigating the theft of Ben’s money. They would like to speak to a woman, aged between 20 and 25 with long red hair.