AN elderly Bolton couple had their day brightened by a kind-hearted stranger.

Sid and Muriel Strong were shopping in their local Tesco Express when a "beautiful" young woman presented them with a bouquet of red roses.

The couple from Radcliffe Road were taken aback by the kind gesture and wanted to thank the stranger for her kindness.

Mr Strong, an 88-year-old retired engineer, said: "We were in the queue and my wife asked the girl if you had to pay for bags in the shop.

"I went away to get something, came back and we paid for the goods and went to the car, that was when the girl came over and presented my wife with these beautiful roses.

"We just looked at her in amazement when she produced the flowers.

"All my wife did was ask about the bags and have a little chit chat, that was it.

"She was a complete stranger, she didn't work at the store. It was a lovely thing to do. She must be as beautiful inside as she was out."

Mrs Strong, aged 84, added: "It made our day!"

The strange events took place about two weeks ago at the Tesco store in Bradford Street.

After the couple were handed the flowers the girl — who Mr Strong believes was in her early 20s — went to leave in her car.

Mr Strong rushed to thank her but "she just smiled and drove away", he explained.

The couple have lived in Bolton all their life but had never experienced such a random act of kindness from a stranger before.

"We certainly appreciated it, it was lovely," Mr Strong added.

"I would like to return her some flowers, a box or chocolates or something."