AN 83-YEAR-OLD with an eye condition who lost her handbag which contained £400 on a bus has heaped praise on those who helped to get it back for her.

Doris Critchley, from Leigh, thought she had placed her handbag into a carrier bag when she got off at the stop near her home.

Later that night, on Tuesday, November 26, mum-of-one Doris, who has macular generation, which restricts her sight, realised she had lost her handbag after looking everywhere in her home.

At around 11pm, she contacted the police, but when asked, Doris could not recall which bus company she travelled with.

After taking details, the police operator said she would ring her back in around half an hour.

Much to Doris' delight, the operator phoned back and explained it was a Jim Stones Coaches bus that she had been on and advised her to ring the bus company in the morning.

The following day at around 7.30am Doris phoned the Jim Stones depot and a staff member told her a handbag had been handed in.

He said that if she got on a Jim Stones bus at a certain time then there would be no charge as he will advise the driver about her situation.

Once Doris got to Leigh bus station she was greeted by the employee who handed the handbag to her, before she found it was still carrying the £400 cash.

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Doris said: "I want to thank the police and Jim Stones for their help and the person who handed the handbag in. I think they are fabulous.

"I was overwhelmed by it.

"There are so many kind people in the world and everybody is so helpful with me when I go out."

Doris, who attends events held by around seven community groups, also says she "cannot put a price" on her independence.