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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Iona Young

Kind Edinburgh stranger hands out £1,000 to locals at petrol station

A kind Edinburgh stranger handed over £1,000 to be given out to locals at a city petrol station to help with the cost of living crisis.

The surprise act of kindness took place on Wednesday June 15 at the BP petrol station on Canonmills, when a mystery man popped into his local BP and asked to speak to the workers behind the till.

Marcus Brown, who works at the local station with pal Brian, was in utter disbelief when the stranger came in and explained he had ten £100 gift cards to be handed out to those using the fuel station.

READ MORE: Edinburgh mum accuses health club of 'exploiting parents' after swimming lesson price rise

While Marcus minded the tills, colleague Brian stood on the forecourt and made ten different people’s day with the cash surprise.

Petrol costs peaked to nearly £2 per litre last week, the highest overnight hike this year so far, the petrol station worker explained that the generous man felt he had to do something to help with the sky rocketing prices.

The guys were delighted to see the happiness and surprise on customers faces as they delivered the gift and said people were "absolutely buzzing."

Speaking to Edinburgh Live Marcus said: "I was just on after my lunch break and a guy came in and asked if he could have a word and he said 'listen I've got BP gift cards here £100 on each.

"'There are ten of them there, I just wanted to do something as I know people are worried right now over the rising fuel costs and it's not right.'"

The pair were delighted to be a part of such a kind gesture and witness the surprise on strangers faces when they were given the generous gift.

Marcus continued: "My colleague was out on the forecourt for around an hour, I think a lot of people were in disbelief - nothing like this has happened before.

"But I guess we live in different times where we all need to look after one another.

"We are a small city after all, I think times like these is when you will start to see the best in people, we ain't really as tight as Glasgow makes us out to be.

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"I work behind the counter and usually stock the shelves and deal with fuel payments."

"So my colleague Brian stood in the forecourt tonight and handed them out, there were quite a few surprised faces but people were pretty happy.

"When he came back in and was like 'that actually felt amazing customers were absolutely buzzing'

"I've just finished work right now but it's warming to know we have such generous folks genuinely worried about one another."

Has someone in the community gone the extra mile to help others during the cost of living crisis? We would love to hear about them. Get in touch at iona.young@reachplc.com

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