A Vale woman spotted what she thought was litter being blown a Balloch street – only to find it was a clutch of £20 notes.

Linda Gibbon, of Alexandria, then spotted a wallet in the middle of Lomond Road which she helped return to South African tourist who had left it on his car on a visit to the village.

Andre and Lettie Volschenk from Pretoria, South Africa, were visiting Loch Lomond as part of a trip to Scotland and Andre left his wallet, containing £300 and all of his credits cards on top of his car before driving off to Carlisle.

The couple had stopped at Loch Lomond Shores to speak to Johnny Walker, who runs a tourist welcoming service and he had passed on his business card, making him the couple’s first hope for getting recovering the wallet and getting their holiday back on track.

Andre said: “My one and only hope of getting my wallet back was contacting Johnny Walker at Loch Lomond Shores on his cell phone, he felt like my only lifeline at that moment. I wasn’t worried about the contents of the wallet and was not hopeful of ever seeing it again, I was more devastated at losing it due to the sentimental value that it held for me.” “Johnny was extremely helpful and gave me the number of the office where I spoke with Melissa Lanigan who said that she would contact me if the wallet were found. The next day I heard from the team at Loch Lomond Shores that my wallet and all of its contents were handed in to the local police station in Alexandria by a local resident, Linda Gibbon.” He thanked everyone for their ‘honesty, help, and support’ and pledged to visit Scotland and its honest people again.

Linda Gibbon, of Alexandria, said: “While I was crossing Lomond Road I saw what I thought was litter flying about, I was quite surprised when I realised it was £20 notes. I picked up what I could because the road was very busy then noticed the wallet in the middle of the road. After I returned home I drove into Dumbarton police station and handed the wallet in. I was very happy when the owner called me the next day to thank me.” Loch Lomond Shores presented Linda with a thankyou gift £100 voucher for Loch Lomond Jewellers, Afternoon Tea at Café Zest, and a £20 voucher for Misty Glen.