A schoolboy has been praised for helping a distraught Year 7 pupil who got lost on his way home after his first day of high school.

Tom O'Brien, 15, gave the 11-year-old £10 after discovering him crying on a bus in Liverpool.

He also ordered a cab to collect him from the next stop after he had got on the wrong bus from Holy Family Catholic High School in Thornton.

The younger boy, without any money or a mobile phone, had no other means of getting back to his home in Netherton.

Two fellow Year 7 students, Harry Campbell and Dylan Robson, stood with him while he waited for the cab to arrive.


Tom's generosity did not go unnoticed, with the mother of one of the children on the bus sharing the act of kindness on Facebook.

Ruth Furlong wrote in a post: "There really are some truly decent kids out there!

"A year 11 lad came over to them all asking how their first day went? He spots a new kid crying because he's gotten on the wrong bus and it's getting further away from where he lives.

"'It's ok mate, don't worry, you'll be home soon' he told him. He whipped out a tenner and arranged for a taxi to pick him up at the next bus stop and made sure he got home safe."

Image: Holy Family Catholic High School in Thornton

Ms Furlong urged anyone who knew Tom to let his parents know "what a lovely lad" they have raised.

The Facebook post received over 2,000 likes after gaining traction from fellow parents and friends.

Tom's older sister Katie O'Brien left a comment confirming his identity, writing: "Ahhh everyone it was my little brother."

She added: "I've just been tagged in this by a friend of mine who's seen this status. We are so proud of Tom and it's so lovely to know he's a good lad in the outside world".

Katie told Sky News that the family are "all incredibly proud of him, as well as the two younger lads who helped".

She said: "It is just so nice to see teenagers getting some good press for a change.

"Tom can't quite believe all the fuss he honestly never thought it would go this far but he's happy that teenagers can be seen in a good light."

The taxi driver did not charge the boy and his parents for the young boy's ride home, and dropped the £10 back off at school for Tom, the Liverpool Echo reported.

Tom's father Kenny later said how proud he is of his "thoughtful and caring" son.

"I am very proud of him. He is a very thoughtful lad and has a great personality" he told the Echo.

"He didn't tell me what had happened until later in the night when he realised people were talking about it on Facebook".