A KIND hearted stranger stirred up some goodwill when he left £20 at a coffee shop to pay for customers' drinks.

The mystery benefactor stunned staff and customers with his small act of generosity explaining he was simply repaying a kind act shown to him earlier in the week - after someone pointed out his shirt was hanging out!

He walked into Starbucks, at St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, at around 7.30am on Thursday with the intention of spreading a little coffee-related happiness.

He asked staff about a Starbucks payment card - charging it with £20 - before instructing staff to use it to pay the bills of customers they judged to be deserving of a free drink.

Georgia Symonds, 24, a Starbucks supervisor, said: “I don’t know what he’s called but I knew his face as he has been coming into the shop quite regularly.

“We chatted and he enquired about a Starbucks card. He said can I have one and then put £20 onto it. The man then asked us to put the card behind the counter

“He said someone earlier in the week had told him that his shirt was hanging out and so he wanted to repay the karma.

“He said that if someone who we felt could do with something came in that we should just give it to them.

“I’ve never known this happen before. It’s a nice touch to help to brighten up people’s days.”

Deborah Richardson, 37, and her three-year-old daughter Anna Richardson, of Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, received roughly £5 off the card.

Mrs Richardson said: “I was very surprised. I was quite shocked and it was really nice for someone to bother to make someone else’s day better.

“We were coming in anyway but Anna had a fruit cocktail-type fruit salad and a chocolate coin while I had a coffee.”

Her husband Michael Richardson and their other three children Kate Slater, Lucy Slater and Nathan Slater all missed out.

Are you the generous Starbucks stranger or can you help to trace him? If so call reporter Ian Noble on 01388-602232.