A callous thief almost left a five-year-old heartbroken after swiping his birthday money - until kind-hearted members of the public stepped in to save the day.

Superhero-obsessed Caleb Cook, from Ramsgate, celebrated turning five on Wednesday at his grandmother’s house, where he was given two birthday cards, each with £10 inside.

His mum Laura left them sealed and put them in a bag with her son’s toys.

But when the family returned to their Artillery Road house later that evening, the bag was dropped as the single mother - with her sleeping daughter in her arms - struggled inside with all their belongings.

“I didn’t realise until later that we were missing the bag with the cards and toys in,” said Ms Cook.

“I went outside later when I couldn’t find the bag anywhere and saw it half way down the road. Someone had put it up against some bins.

“I looked inside and the toys were still there but the cards had been opened and the money taken.

'I think if he knew it would ruin his birthday' - Laura Cook

“Someone must have seen the bag and picked it up, taken the money and then just left the rest to one side.”

Miss Cook said Caleb hadn’t decided what he was going to buy, but was excited about spending his money and thinking about getting an action figure.

“He loves superheroes and Marvel at the moment so he was probably going to get an action figure like Captain America,” she said.

“It’s horrible. I didn't tell him as he wouldn’t really understand and I think if he did know it would ruin his birthday.”

But Miss Cook, who admits trying to find the money to replace the £20 would have been difficult, says people rallied round after seeing a post about what happened on Facebook and donated superhero figures to her son.

His grandmother Nicola Cook says a woman came round and dropped them off.

"To the kind people of Thanet, you have made my grandson's day," she said.

"Caleb is over the moon."

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