Honest couple find €20,000 in a car park and return to owner

An elderly man in Switzerland is counting his luck, and his money, after some good Samaritans returned 20,000 francs (€20,300) that he had lost.

The man had driven to a cash machine in the town of Martigny in eastern Switzerland to withdraw the large amount, but when he got home, he realised the money was gone.

While the elderly gentleman went to the nearest police station to report the money had been lost, it had in fact already been found.

A couple discovered the envelope full of Swiss francs where it had fallen on the ground as the man got back into his car outside the bank.

Inside was the withdrawal slip with contact details for the account holder.

The couple who found the money went to his house and returned it in full. As a reward for their honesty, the man gave them 500 francs.

"A beautiful story of honesty in our canton," local police said in a statement.

"A story worth sharing with you on this first day of Advent."