A mum was overwhelmed after a group of bin collectors found her stolen purse and returned it to her.

Avital Acton, 39, from Bushey, was in Borehamwood shopping park on February 12 when her purse was stolen from her backpack.

Ms Acton had been shopping in Hobbycraft with her six-year-old and three-year-old daughters when she got to the tills and saw that her backpack had been unzipped and purse taken.

Her backpack had been on her buggy, which her youngest daughter was sleeping in at the time.

The mum of two reported the incident to the police and cancelled all of her cards.

However, Ms Acton was stunned to receive a call the following morning from three bin collectors; Marian Baranowski, Paul Freeman, and Terry Wiggs, who told her they had found her purse in a bin in Tesco Extra.

She arranged to meet the Hertsmere Borough Council workers at Elstree & Borehamwood train station, and they met up and Ms Acton was reunited with her purse.

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Cash and gift cards had been stolen out of the purse.

Ms Acton thanked them for their “amazing actions”.

She said: “The purse was given to me by my dad so it has a lot of sentimental value. These men did something really good for the community and it shows there are people who do really good things and go that little bit extra.”

“They are my true heroes.”