'Why I left a toy Royal Mail gift on a motorway bridge'

Alex Chesters (centre, with father Darren, left, and brother Will, right) loves drivers acknowledging him

A lorry driver who left a gift on a motorway bridge for a disabled man who likes to wave at traffic said he was simply returning a kindness.

The Royal Mail worker, who wished to be identified only as Richard, left a toy postal lorry for Alex Chesters whom he would see from the M6 near Stafford.

He came forward after the gesture overwhelmed Mr Chesters' family, whose online post on the surprise went viral.

Richard said being waved at from the bridge would brightened his day.

The driver, who was regularly acknowledged by Mr Chesters during his route between Chorley and Bristol, said: "It can be a bit lonely and boring when you're driving on your own.

"When you see him, it can just put a smile on your face - it really lifts your mood.

"All he's doing is standing on a bridge waving, I don't think he realises how much he changes other people's moods."

Alex Chesters watches and waves to vehicles on the M6

The 33-year-old saw Mr Chesters, 27, waving from the bridge at the same time each day for a week.

When a family trip to Gloucester meant he would be passing the bridge off shift, Richard ordered a toy replica of his Royal Mail lorry and left it tied to the spot with a handwritten note.

The gift was discovered by Mr Chesters' family at the Ash Flats Lane bridge

"I dropped it off on Monday [last week] and they found it on the Saturday," Richard said. "I could see it strapped to the fence all week."

It turned out Richard's gift was left during the only week Mr Chesters had not visited the bridge, leaving the family amazed by its appearance when they returned.

They said they were brought to tears by the act and wanted to shake the mystery gift-giver's hand.

"I wasn't expecting anything of it," Richard said. "But I forgot the power of Facebook."

Before long, the story was being shared far and wide and that was when Richard came forward to explain his gesture. He said it was "nice to see some of the comments" online.

The driver said he thought his waving friend "might like his own" vehicle

Richard said he had been neither aware of Mr Chesters' disability, quadriplegic cerebral palsy, or that the vehicle was the lorry fan's favourite colour - red.

He added he was working different shifts over the coming weeks so would not be heading past Stafford, but when he returned to the route, he would be keeping an eye out for his waving friend.