'Hot dog and Coke' FC Barcelona Good Samaritan sought

Kevin Smart and his son Max were given tickets to a Barcelona match as a Christmas present

A man has appealed on social media to help find the "Good Samaritan" who helped him and his 16-year-old son after thieves struck in Barcelona.

Kevin Smart, 45, said he and his son Max were on their way to FC Barcelona's match against Leganes last Saturday when pickpockets took his wallet.

Mr Smart had just €3 (£2.59) when a man gave him €26 (£22.47) to get to their hotel and get Max a "hot dog and Coke".

He is now searching for the unnamed man, from Essex, to thank him.

Mr Smart, who lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, said: "I'd like to repay his generosity, give him the money back and just thank him from the bottom of my heart because I don't think he realised the situation we were in."

Kevin Smart said they tried to not let events "take the edge off" the match

Pharmaceutical scientist Mr Smart said he and Max arrived in the Spanish city on Saturday lunchtime and were on the underground to the match when he "noticed my wallet had taken leave from my pocket".

He found himself without any cards so missed out on a planned stadium tour of the Nou Camp prior to the match.

He unsuccessfully tried some shops to get cash via an online bank transfer to ensure they could get back to their hotel - a 10-mile (17km) walk away.

"I was even looking for loose change in the gutters to get back on the Metro," Mr Smart added.

Kevin and Max watched a Lionel Messi hat-trick defeat Leganes in La Liga

Fortunately the match tickets - a Christmas gift - were not taken, and before the game they met a man with his wife and son.

Mr Smart said the man, from Essex, said to them: "You seem really genuine, you seem like you've had rough time of it - buy your son a hot dog, buy him a Coke and just enjoy yourself."

He hugged the man and "burst into tears" before they watched the match, which ended "3-1 to [Lionel] Messi", Mr Smart said.

He added the man would not accept a payment by PayPal at the time, but he remained committed to repaying him either with money or a donation to charity.