Mystery woman foots Orange IGA shopping bill after credit card mix-up

It's a fear most people would've felt at one point or another, only for relief to eventually set in when you remember about that one mystery pocket you always forget about.

But for Pat Newcombe, that fear became reality last week when he was left red-faced at the Orange IGA.

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"It was late in the day and I thought 'oh I'm nearly out of milk, I better race in'," he said.

"I tore into IGA, got a trolley full of stuff, got to checkout and didn't have my credit card or cash.

"So I said to the cashier I'd park the trolley behind her and tear away and get something."

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Twenty minutes later he returned, credit card in hand, only to be told he didn't owe a cent.

"I got to the shop and the cashier told me to 'put that in your pocket'," he said.

"She then handed me a docket and told me it had been paid for.

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"The cashier told me that the woman behind me in line said 'oh It's Christmas, I'll pay for it'.

"I was gobsmacked, nearly speechless."

The kind gesture has left him wanting to thank the mystery woman who footed his $70 shopping bill.

"Never would I have thought something like this would happen," he finished.

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"It's a good feeling that there's people out there like that. You see all the negatives all the time and it's nice to see a few positives.

"I'd like to thank her and give her the money back so she can spend it somewhere else."