AN ELDERLY couple have thanked a Good Samaritan who helped them after they became stranded in a shopping centre park park.

The couple, in their 80s and registered disabled, were stuck in the Chequers Shopping Centre car park, Maidstone, last Thursday, after the crooklock became jammed on their car's steering wheel.

The couple, from Aylesford, who have asked not to be named, say that had it not been for the man's intervention, they might have been forced to abandon their car.

The woman said: "You hear so many bad things about muggings and such like, I thought it would be really nice for people to hear about what this young fellow did for us. He really was a Good Samaritan. He spent about half an hour or more trying to get this lock off and eventually he did do it.

"I didn't get his name and I was so relieved after sitting there for ages wondering what we were going to do."

Before his arrival several people, including security staff at the centre, had tried without success to free the crooklock. They were advised to contact the AA or RAC for help, but were quoted a call-out fee of £94, which they could not afford.

When they were close to giving up on their Mondeo car, the man, driving a van and in his mid to late 30s, stopped and offered to help. He spent more than half an hour working on the crooklock before finally managing to remove it.

The couple gave him £10 for his trouble - although said they had offered more - and said they wanted to publicly thank him for his trouble.

The woman added: "He said to us that he was only too pleased to help. He was a very, very nice man and I just want him to know how grateful we are. You hear so many bad things these days, but this goes to show there are people out there who will put themselves out to help others like that."

*Anyone who knows the identity of the Good Samaritan is asked to call Kent Messenger reporter Angela Zigler on 01622 695666 or e-mail azigler@thekmgroup.co.uk