Mother inspired by parking ticket donor raises £10,000 Published duration 22 February 2016

image copyright Mairi Holden

A mother fundraising for an Edinburgh hospital after a mystery donor left money for a parking ticket she received while there with her ill son has raised more than £10,000.

Mairi Holden wanted to create a "snowball effect" from the "random act of kindness" by raising money for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

The 35-year-old had parked in Sylvan Place on Wednesday.

On returning to her car on Thursday she found £25 towards the ticket.

Ms Holden had been rushing her son, Oscar, 4, to the hospital after he developed breathing difficulties and had not thought she would have to stay the night when she parked her car on a single yellow line.

She returned to find two parking tickets but also a note from a mystery person, which read "Pay it then forget it happened!" with £25.

image copyright Mairi Holden

Ms Holden, from Restalrig, told BBC Scotland how she did not want to take all the credit for the fundraising effort which came after she opened a Just Giving page

She said: "It's a collective effort of everyone who has donated.

"We have all done this and we should all feel proud, it's not about me.

"Everyone who has donated should be feeling good about themselves. It shows the kindness of people.

"It also shows the effect a random act of kindness can have and how it can snowball.

"I can't believe the reaction I've had, so many people have been touched by the story all around the world."

Ms Holden said the money was left on the windscreen of her pink Honda Jazz.

An Edinburgh city council spokeswoman said: "Anyone is entitled to appeal a parking ticket, and we do take a sympathetic view of those fines incurred as a result of a medical emergency and other extenuating circumstances."