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A North East pensioner living in Oxford was "over the moon" when a care package from home rolled up on an away fans' coach from Newcastle.

Navy veteran Jim Straughan has been living down south for 60 years and now looks after his wife Pat, who has dementia.

The 83-year-old, from Ashington, Northumberland, rarely gets chance to return to the North East anymore and regularly says how much he misses his favourite taste of home - the stottie.

When Jim's son Colin found out that Newcastle United would be playing at Oxford United in February, he contacted fan group Wor Flags to see if any away fans would be willing to bring some of his dad's favourite Geordie delicacy.

The response was overwhelming, and resulted in a day full of surprises for Jim on Tuesday.

Colin said: "He went out to walk the dog and when he came back there was a box on the doorstep with four stotties and a card from Greggs."

The note from the bakery chain said: "A little bird told us that whilst living in Oxford, you've been missing the greatest bread-y creation of all time... the Greggs stottie, of course.

"That sort of heartache is too hard to bear as far as we're concerned, so we are treating you and your wife to a couple. After all, what are friends for?"

Colin said: "He couldn't believe it but he thought that was it."

But there were more shocks in store when the away coaches full of Toon fans arrived in the city.

Dad-of-two Colin had arranged to meet Amanda Fowler, who had offered to bring a dozen stotties, in the pub.

He said: "Originally I was going to pick up the package and take it to him, but I went round to the house because the coach was running a little bit behind.

"I said 'dad, you've got to come with us'. He didn't know what was going on but I managed to persuade him.

"We met up at a pub that's popular with away fans and it was just full of Geordies.

"They had this hamper full of stuff - there was a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale, a glass, a scarf, a flag.

"He couldn't believe it - he was over the moon.

"They were all chatting to him as well, he absolutely loved it. He had a great time."

And Jim will have been pleased with the result as well, as a 3-2 win took the Magpies into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2006.