A mystery woman has restored a little girl's faith in humanity after an act of kindness at a car boot sale.

Six-year-old Ellen Morgan spent two hours selling toys at Caister car boot sale on Saturday, hoping to spend her earnings on computer games and a new teddy.

The Stradbroke Primary School pupil was talking to her mum, Laura, and grandmother Linda Brewster at about what she was going to buy when she noticed her purse, containing £22, was missing.

Over the next hour, news of what had happened spread. And, thanks to the efforts of an unknown woman who had a pitch opposite the Morgans, fellow car booters clubbed together and donated money so Ellen didn't have to go home empty handed.

'It is heart warming that for as many bad eggs there are, there are 10 good ones,' said Ellen's dad Jamie, 37.

'I don't want to give the criminal any more air time than needed, but I want to thank the lady on an opposite stall who repaired my wife's and my faith in humanity and community.

'On having heard the situation we found ourselves in, she came across and gave my girl some of her own money. A little bit later she came back with a little more. The situation had affected her so much that she visited a few other stalls and got donations that added up to the amount Ellen had lost.

'Words cannot describe the sheer generosity of this lady and all the other stalls that contributed.'

It was only the second time the family, of Albemarle Road in Gorleston, had taken part in a car boot sale.

'I was gutted; just so angry someone could do that,' said Laura, 33.

'The other stalls must have heard us talking about what had happened. One chap was bartering and knocked us down on some toy she was selling but 10 minutes later came back and gave us an extra £1.

'Within two hours, the lady on the stall opposite handed Ellen a handful of 50ps and pound coins. She'd been going around the other stalls telling them what had happened and they all donated.'

As they were packing up the woman also gave Ellen a fairy statuette to take home.

'I want to say thank you to the lovely lady for my gift,' said the youngster. 'She's so kind.'