Mystery book-lover at Waterstones Yarm gives £100 of vouchers to shoppers

Staff at Waterstones in Yarm were given £100 to give gift vouchers to other customers

A mystery book-lover gave a shop £100 to split between other customers in a pay it forward moment.

The man bought several books for himself at Waterstones in Yarm before giving the store £100 to be split across 10 gift vouchers.

Suzi Hunton from the store said recipients and staff were "choked up" and it had "brought joy".

All that is known about the book benefactor is he works in the offshore oil industry, Ms Hunton said.

"He wouldn't leave his name and I've never seen him before or since," she added.

She said the man had been delayed in the area for longer than planned because of an issue with a flight, which "he felt was a little sign he should do something positive for his local area".

'No catch'

"He was just paying it forward to make sure other people got the treat of a book, got something to make them smile and feel happy especially at such a challenging time," Ms Hunton said, adding: "It's one of the most lovely things I've had happen at the shop."

The store's three staff decided who to give the vouchers to.

Ms Hunton said: "We've had the best time handing them out to unsuspecting book-lovers, including grandparents buying first books for grandchildren they were only just about to meet because of the lockdown, teenagers passionate about reading and in our shop every week, and people who just looked like they needed a treat.

"It's brightened everybody's life."

Ms Hunton said people's first thought was often "what's the catch?" but there was not one other than to "say to people if they get the chance they should pay it forward".

"It doesn't have to be a voucher or money," she said.

"It could be a smile, doing a favour for someone, just making someone's day.

"People have been delighted, a couple of people choked up, and we did handing them out."