The speedy actions of a quick-thinking staff member at Burnham-On-Sea’s Ritz Cinema has led to the safe return of a laptop computer.
Purple Watkins had accidentally left his laptop PC on the pavement next to his parked car in Victoria Street on Sunday while he changed his baby with his wife, Gypsy.
The pair had attended Burnham’s Civic Service in nearby St Andrew’s Church where Gypsy sang two songs in front of the audience.
But the day almost ended on a sour note when a lady was spotted picking up the laptop and then walking off with it.
Richard Hodgkinson, who works at the cinema, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I just happened to look down onto the street from The Ritz’s Box Office when I noticed the laptop and then a few seconds later a lady picked it up and began walking off with it.”
“Realising what was happening, I rushed down to try and retrieve it. After a heated discussion with her, I told her that I would take it into safe keeping in the cinema.”
“I left a note on the car’s windscreen explaining where it was and when Purple and Gypsy got back to their car I was able to get it returned to them.”
Purple, pictured with the note, said: “I thought it was a parking ticket at first on my windscreen and didn’t realise what had happened, but then Rich came down and handed over the laptop and explained everything.”
“I can’t believe how lucky we’ve been. I’d been distracted while changing our baby and had left the laptop in the street, so we are incredibly grateful to Richard for his quick actions – it was such a positive and community-spirited thing to do.”
“The laptop has huge sentimental value to us as it contains backing music for all of Gypsy’s songs.”
Pictured: Top Purple Watkins with Richard Hodgkinson from the cinema and, above, Purple holding the note placed on his windscreen
