A CO Down woman has spoken of her delight after sentimental items belonging to her late mother, which were stolen by thieves as she parked in a cemetery, were returned.
Irene McCready (58), who lives in Donaghadee, was at Inch Cemetery near Downpatrick in February to visit her parents’ grave when her vehicle was targeted.
But after her story was highlighted in The Irish News she told how her bag was returned by a "genuine, lovely" stranger who tracked her down.
The theft came just three weeks after her 81 year-old father David Price had passed away.
He died just three months after his wife Renee, who was also 81.
The couple, who lived at Bells Hill, between Crossgar and Downpatrick, would have celebrated 60 years of marriage this year.
It was while Irene was visiting her parents' grave on February 8 that her car was targeted and her handbag stolen.
Mrs McCready, who works for the NSPCC children’s charity, said the theft left her devastated as the handbag had belonged to her mother.
Also in the bag was the mother-of-three’s mobile phone which contained sentimental photographs, including the last images taken of her parents.
Her purse, which was in the bag, contained a number of items her mother had given her before she died, including cards and a brass Maltese cross.
There was also sympathy cards and a small white angel, given to Mrs McCready by her mother.
Despite initial searches of the area, Mrs McCready was unable to find the bag.
However, eight weeks on from the theft, Mrs McCready said she is "thrilled" after a man out walking his dog found her bag dumped in a hedge on the Wateresk Road in Maghera, Co Down.
She said that while cash, her bank cards and phone had been taken, the sentimental items belonging to her mother were still in the bag.
She described the man who found the bag as a "very genuine, lovely person".
"I can't believe it," she said.
"I am over the moon. I am just thrilled. I do believe mum and dad somewhere along the line guided that man there".
Mrs McCready described being reunited with the items as "a miracle".
"There are some lovely people in this world," she said.
"It's made me feel happy about humanity again. It is just a miracle. I'm chuffed to bits. It's brought a bit of feel good".
