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A Liverpool bus driver who stopped his vehicle to give an elderly homeless man a £5 note has been tracked down by a passenger and rewarded with presents.

Driver Stephen Humphris, from Prescot, stopped his number 86 bus when he saw a rough sleeper struggling in the pouring rain.

He then asked passenger Faris Khalifa, 27, to hand over a donation to the man, much to the delight of everyone onboard.

Mr Khalifa said: “The driver’s actions impacted upon me greatly. It was a Friday night - windy and cold with horizontal rain. He called me over, handed me a £5 note and asked me to give it to an elderly homeless man across the street. It was the most amazing thing.”

As the incident unfolded on Hanover Street, onlookers watched as the man gratefully accepted the money.

Mr Khalifa added: “There are people out there who are infinitely less fortunate. He (the driver) made mine and many other people’s day.”

Days later, touched by the Arriva employee’s act of kindness, Mr Khalifa rallied city centre businesses to see if he could somehow reward the good samaritan.

The response was terrific.

He said: “Everyone I spoke to, without hesitation, donated the coolest things ever. A bottle of rum from The Jacaranda; a basket of cheese from the Liverpool Cheese Company; two membership cards and a bar tab from Independent Liverpool; a voucher for a dinner for two from Mr Myagi’s. People have come forward offering all kinds to do their bit.£

Last week he tracked down ex-serviceman Mr Humphris and presented him with a Christmas hamper.

Mr Humphris, 33, said: “It’s amazing to be noticed for little deeds but the main message is to help people less fortunate than us. I’d like to say a big thanks to Faris who is an amazing man.

“As an ex-soldier homelessness is a subject very close to me. A massive amount of service men come out of the army with mental health problems and end up on the streets. It’s about getting more people to recognise these issues.”

Musician and writer Faris Khalifa, a Sudanese refugee, echoed his sentiments, saying: “I came here as an asylum seeker and lived in children’s homes, so charity has played a massive part in my upbringing. Mostly on the receiving end. Helping people remember that good people are still out there is good for morale. I thought he should be rewarded.”

“Everyone I spoke to, without hesitation, donated the coolest things ever,” added Mr Khalifa, whose public work with mental health charities in the last year has endeared him to many people in Liverpool city centre.

Arriva were quick to praise their humanitarian driver, whose story has already attracted lots of attention on Facebook and Twitter. Arriva spokesman Derek Bowes said: “We are always pleased to receive appreciative comments about the actions of our employees, and delighted to learn that Steve’s kind gesture and generosity was recognised by many of our customers. We would particularly like to thank Faris for his response to Steve’s actions.”