A major gas company has praised the 'good spirit’ of a man who found one of their information CDs on a garden wall and returned it.

Robert Baldock was walking along Bradley Drive, Sittingbourne, when he spotted the CD belonging to Southern Gas Networks on a garden wall.

He picked it up, thinking it might contain confidential information, took it home and called the company to report it.

But he didn’t get quite the reaction he had expected from the company.

He said: “When I called them, they didn’t seem that bothered. I was told they’d call me back a short time later to arrange collection but they didn’t.”

The company eventually visited Mr Baldock after a call from the Sittingbourne Kent Messenger.

A spokesman said: “We apologise for how Mr Baldock feels his call was handled but are grateful to him for picking up the CD and returning it. Although he couldn’t have read the CD on his own computer, he didn’t even try.

“His actions show that people are aware of confidential information and he showed great public spirit in returning it. One of our managers has visited Mr Baldock to thank him in person.”

The CD contained safety information about electrical cables, used by gasmen when they are drilling to lay cables.

The CD Mr Baldock found was also out-of-date.