US waitress rewarded for honesty

More than $3,000 was left on a table

By Emma Simpson BBC correspondent in New York

A waitress in the United States who found an envelope stuffed with more than $3,000 left behind by a customer resisted the temptation to pocket the money - and returned it to its rightful owner.

Now, Heidi Tomassi from Kansas is being rewarded for her honesty.

Ms Tomassi has subsequently been inundated with gifts of money after it emerged that she was heavily in debt from paying medical bills for her baby son.

'Modern-day Cinderella'

When she opened the envelope left at a vacant table, Ms Tomassi discovered more than 30 $100 bills.

She could have done with the cash. Her five-month-old baby boy has had two heart operations which have left her and her husband with massive bills to pay.

But for this waitress, honesty pays.

Donations of cash have been pouring into her restaurant since word got out about her good deed - so much so that she has now received more cash than was in the original envelope.

Ms Tomassi said she felt like a modern-day Cinderella.