A GOOD Samaritan has been thanked after coming to the rescue of a vulnerable rail passenger left stranded after missing his last connection.

Brian Pitcher, from London, missed his connecting train to Middlesbrough from Darlington by minutes on November 8.

It was approaching midnight and the 83-year-old retired gardener was anxious about how he would get to his destination.

Seeing Mr Pitcher's distress, an unknown father and son stepped in and offered to drive him to Middlesbrough.

When he returned to London after his trip to the North-East to stay with family, Mr Pitcher was keen to highlight the kindness he had received on his journey North.

His nephew, Keith Carabello, told The Northern Echo: "He told me he wanted to say a big 'thank-you' to the young father and son who came to his rescue.

"They offered a complete stranger a lift, when they realised he was an old man who had missed his last train.

"It was a kind and generous gesture, which will always be remembered.

"With the way the world is at the moment, you've always got to be careful.

"But it was the little boy who persuaded his dad – he kept saying 'we will take him, we can't leave him stranded'.

"It is so sweet to think that there are still some Good Samaritans around."