A woman is desperate to track down the kind stranger who left £100 on her lap while she slept on a train.

Ella Johannessen said the gesture left her in tears, particularly after a tough 18 months in which her father and both grandparents passed away.

The 23-year-old graduate was on the 14:52 train from Peterborough to Leeds on 27 Jan when she phoned her mum and began discussing how little money she had and that it was worrying her.

During the conversation, she became increasingly upset – and somebody clearly overheard her plight.

After speaking to her mum, Ella drifted off to sleep. When she woke up again, she was shocked to find someone had left £100 in cash under a napkin on her lap.

Ella said the gesture left her in tears once more.

She has since shared her story in the hope she can track down the stranger who gave her the money so she can thank them properly.

A Facebook post by Ella has been shared more than 6,500 times. The recent graduate wrote: “After a terrible 18 months where I lost my father and both of his parents it showed me that there is kindness and good people in the world.”

Addressing the person who had gifted her the money, she added: “I will pass your kindness on.

“I want to say thank you to the person who gave me this gift, I hope you will eventually see this.”