Mystery Tube passenger returns 'lost' £2,000 in cash

Also in the large colourful shoulder bag were credit cards, passports and flight tickets belonging Sri Lankan holidaymaker Suranganie Joseph and her two grown-up children.

The three were on a holiday of a lifetime and had been shopping in south London.

They boarded a Northern line train at Tooting Bec.

At Leicester Square they intended to change onto a Piccadilly line train to head for friends at Hounslow.

It was then Mrs Joseph, 57, realised she no longer had the bag emblazoned with a seaside scene with her.

Her son Shihan, 27, immediately headed back to Tooting Bec and the shops they had visited while daughter Avindra, 24, tried to calm down her mum.

They appealed to staff at Leicester Square and that's when station supervisor Bob Khaira, 45, sprang into action.

Mrs Joseph could not remember when she last had the bag - but then Bob realised Avindra had been taking digital pictures of their trip on her camera. They scrolled through the pictures and Bob was able to confirm the bag was with them on the Northern line train.

Realising the importance of the bag he then made contacted all several dozen stations on the line.
Hope seemed lost when he received a call from staff at Woodside Park to say the bag had been handed by an unidentified passenger and with contents untouched.

Mrs Joseph, near tears with joy, said: "I think London Underground staff are excellent.

"Our holiday would have been completely ruined if it had not been for Bob tracking it down and the other station supervisor at Woodside Bag.

"My whole life was in that bag. I knelt down and
thanked God when I get it back.

"I am so impressed by London Underground (LU) staff who were so caring. We had a wonderful holiday because of them. I am going to write to the High Commission for Sri Lanka and tell them just how good LU is."

Avindra, a law graduate, said: "We were so worried. I didn't think we would everr get everything back."

Bob said: "Mrs Joseph was so upset. I felt sorry for her and it would have been terrible for the family if we had not been able to find the bag.

"This was a trip of a lifetime. It was her dream to bring her children to Europe and they would not have been able to do all the things they planned without that bag."

He added: "I kept telling the lady to have faith and the bag would be found."

Piccadilly line general manager Phil O'Hare - also involved in the search - said: "Bob was very caring and determined in trying to help this lady and her family.

"This is a classic example of how our staff go the extra mile for customers and its great when their efforts are recognised."

He continued: "Of course we must not overlook the honesty of the customer who handed the property to us.

"We are really delighted that we were able to help the family have their dream holiday and leave with a great impression of London."

Mrs Joseph, Avindra and Shihan returned to Leicester Square at the end of the holiday to to pay special thanks to Bob for all he did.

An LU spokeswoman said: "We don't know who handed the bag in - we would like him or her to come forward so we can add our thanks along with those of the Joseph family."