A GOOD samaritan in Launceston has been praised by a local charity for her honesty after she handed in over £400 in cash which she found in the street, writes Robyn Pengilly.

Philip Stephenson, who works for the Primrose Foundation, which supports the breast cancer centre at Derriford Hospital, visited Lloyds bank in Launceston on Monday to pay in a "substantial" amount of cash for the charity.

However, once inside the bank, Mr Stephenson and his wife realised they were short of £410 in cash. After a couple of hours frantically searching for the missing money, Mr Stephenson was contacted by the Primrose Founda­tion treasurer who said the money had been handed into the local police station.

Mr Stephenson said: "You've no idea what a relief it was."

The money had been found on the street outside the bank by Jade Wonnacott, aged 19 of Market Court, Launceston. She initially took the money into the bank but they would not take it. She then handed it into the police station.

Mr Stephenson explain­ed: "One of the policemen went into the bank and asked if anybody had been short this morning but they wouldn't tell him who it was.

"The bank, having been told there had been some money found, and knew we were short, contacted the bank where the account is held in Plymouth who contacted the treasurer of the Primrose Foundation."

The treasurer then contacted Mr Stephenson to say that the money was being held at the local police station.

Mr Stephenson said: "The young lady who did it, I will reward her for her honesty out of my own pocket. Here we have an incredibly honest young woman who could have pocketed the cash no problem."

When Mr Stephenson collected the money from the police station later that day, they were drying it out because it had got wet in the rain.

Mr Stephenson added: "It's really nice to know that somebody handed it in and being a young person it's even nicer.

"We're immensely grate­­­ful to her."

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