A terminally-ill York man who was devastated by a conman wept tears of joy after well-wishers restored his faith in humanity.

The Evening Press reported earlier this month how Raymond Armstrong's hopes of a dream weekend break were shattered when a stolen cheque was used to buy his car.

The conman passed the dud £275 cheque to Raymond, 56, of Fourth Avenue, Tang Hall, even though the lung cancer victim had told him he was dying.

The cheque later failed to clear at the bank, ruining plans by Raymond and his wife, Pat, to go away for a weekend holiday in between bouts of chemotherapy.

But two Evening Press readers were so moved by their plight that they wrote their own - valid - cheques to the Armstrongs.

One woman reader, from the York area, who does not wish to be identified, wrote to the couple: "I was deeply moved by the article in the Evening Press.

"Will you please accept the enclosed cheque for £300 in the hope that it will go some way towards restoring your faith in the rest of mankind. Not everyone is bad. Unfortunately it is the few who are spoiling things for everyone."

Another cheque for £25 was sent to the couple by a reader who wrote: "I read in the Evening Press of your distressing ordeal. Who could be so callous as to do such a thing? I hope this small donation will help in some way."

Mr and Mrs Armstrong were very moved by the letters. Wiping tears from his eyes, Raymond said: "I'm very pleased. It restores your faith in human nature after what happened before.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to both these people."

He said that he and Pat would like to go to Blackpool.

He added that there was still no news of his car, a Volvo with registration number A346URP, "which was in very good nick", or of the conman being caught.

see COMMENT 'Faith in people'

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