KIND-HEARTED supermarket staff left shocked and upset after discovering a war veteran had been conned out of money by rogue traders have given him a surprise Christmas gift.
The 95-year-old, who does not wish to be named, has generously been given Morrisons vouchers just weeks after he was forced to pay £200 to two aggressive men at his home on Eversley Grove on December 3.
The two men approached the man as he was leaving his home and asked him about cutting a tree at the back of his garden. An initial price of £40 was agreed.
But when he returned home, the two men demanded he pay them £700 and insisted if he did not pay they would throw all the rubbish collected back into his garden.
They refused to leave the home or accept a cheque until they were given £200 in cash.
Remarkably, it happened on the same day the victim received a prestigious war medal honouring his efforts in liberating France during the Second World War.
Shocked staff at Malvern’s Morrisons store on Roman Way handed over vouchers worth up to £50 to the victim thanks to an idea made by the store’s community champion Maxine Allen.
Morrisons Malvern general manager Steve Guoite told the Observer the gesture was the least the store staff could do to help.
“We seen it happened to someone from the Malvern area and felt it was awful,” he said.
Our community champion came to me with an idea and we thought ‘well lets use some of our budget’ and give him vouchers so he can decide what he wants to spend it on.
“This could have happened to anybody. What he went through must have been horrific and I’m glad we have been able to help out in some way.”
Malvern police officer Steve Freeman, who handed the surprise vouchers to the victim, added: “Maxine Allen from Morrisons of Malvern contacted me after reading the war hero story and asked if they could donate some vouchers to our victim.
“They were angry by the way he had been ripped off by the rogue traders and hoped this small gesture would help.
“Our victim was touched by the gesture and said he would accept the donation as every little helps. He also said it was nice to get something coming the other way.”
Police described the two men as white with one aged between 35 and 40-years-old wearing a yellow Hi Viz vest. The second man was younger and did not speak. They drove in a white van with ladders on it.
Anyone with information about the incident should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
