Delight as wallet lost on bus is returned

When pensioner John Bentley lost his wallet while on a shopping trip, he thought he would never set eyes on it again. Now his faith in human nature has been restored.

An honest passenger handed in the wallet to Walsall bus driver Geoffrey Millard, who returned it to 73-year-old Mr Bentley at his home.

Mr Bentley and his wife Jean, 71, had travelled into town on the 301 National Express West Midlands service from High Street, Bloxwich.

He told the Express & Star: "We went to Walsall because my wife wanted to go shopping to use up the vouchers she got for Christmas, but I didn't miss my wallet at all until we arrived at a shop in Digbeth.

"I put my hand in my back pocket and it had gone. I thought I'd either been picked or it had fallen out of my pocket.

"I had no idea when or where. I didn't think I would ever see it again.

"It was given to me about two Christmases ago by my grandsons and their picture is in the wallet."

Mr Bentley, a retired South Staffordshire Water worker, of Fishley Lane, went home and reported his missing wallet to police, and cancelled all his bank cards.

At 4.30pm his doorbell rang and there was Mr Millard, holding his wallet.

"He told us another passenger had handed it in and he thought he would return it directly to us," said Mr Bentley.

"We thanked him for his generosity there and then.

"We also wrote to the bus company to let them know how pleased we were. This has renewed my faith in human nature."