Kindness of strangers: My son's new metal detector enabled him to make a wonderful discovery about human nature – Hayley Matthews

My youngest has been going on about a metal detector for months now. He loves digging and investigating.

A metal detector can uncover a host of interesting things (Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA)

In fact, he loves anything to do with roadworks, building and the materials involved in serious construction work. So it was no surprise that a metal detector was on his Christmas list.

On Christmas Day, he took it out with him for our family meal at the Lady Nairn (thanks Granny and Papa). To keep him occupied, we got him to find out what objects were made of metal. It was quite a loud beeping but everyone was in great spirits at the Beefeater and all I could see were loads of smiling faces, watching him as he wandered about searching for precious metals.

Our travels took us outside the front of the restaurant and, as he wandered about looking for gold, a passerby saw him playing, threw a coin on the ground in the direction he was walking and smiled as he walked away. How sweet of him and we didn't get a chance to thank him for what he did.

You might think he just tossed a coin. However, what he did was make my son’s Christmas by allowing him to "find" a coin with his metal detector. He could see what my son was doing and, for a moment, joined in his adventure without uttering a single word. It was priceless.

It was also genuine, kind and heartwarming. This lovely stranger showed us how one of the most precious gifts you can give a child is your imagination, time and kindness and those things cost nothing. Well OK, maybe just a penny.