Stranger replaces child's pumpkin after stolen from Downton

On Tuesday, October 29, Oran Cormick, 9, and his family went to Fordingbridge Picking Patch for the day, where he picked a small pumpkin and his mum, Emma Braund, picked a bigger pumpkin for them both to use.

After carving them, they went out again the next day for a trip to Lulworth Cove. On their return, they discovered that Oran’s small pumpkin, which had been put outside their house, had been stolen.

Oran said he was 'sad' to discover his pumpkin had been stolen (Image: Emma Braund) Oran told the Journal how his neighbour's security camera picked up on two teenage boys and two teenage girls stealing the pumpkin. He said it made him feel ‘sad’, as he had chosen it himself.

Emma said: “Really, it was just more sad that some one would just take something that doesn’t belong to them. Halloween is quite big for Oran, it’s his favourite time of the year.”

Emma shared a post on Facebook, and was delighted that so many people commented saying they would replace them. One of her friends brought Oran a pumpkin over, but a random act of kindness from a stranger was what shocked them most.

“On Wednesday evening, we went outside and there were two more”, Emma said, “he [Oran] was really happy.”

On one of the pumpkins, the good Samaritan wrote: 'There are far more nice people in this world than mean ones. Happy Halloween."

The stranger left a new pumpkin with a kind message (Image: Emma Braund) Emma added: “I’m just overwhelmed with everybody’s kindness. Really it just shows when chips are down, community pulls together. They’re at the children’s best interest which is really lovely”.

In the end, Oran managed to enjoy his Halloween, with his Fortnite character costume, plenty of sweets and his new pumpkins.