ballerina.

Albert and Sharon Easton, of Warwick, told The Royal Gazette they retrieved Svetlana Lunkina's wallet after finding it where it had been dropped on the street.

"It pays to be honest,'' said Mr. Easton.

Ms Lunkina, of the World renowned Bolshoi Ballet, did not realise her wallet was missing until her two Good Samaritans brought it to her last Tuesday.

The purse, containing US $900 and an undisclosed amount of Russian currency as well as important documents, was returned to her that same night.

Mr. Easton, who works as a painter for Works and Engineering and Mrs. Easton who works as a housekeeper, said they were on their way to The Harbourfront Restaurant on Front Street at around 11.30 p.m. on Tuesday when Mrs. Easton spotted the purse containing the wallet lying beside a car.

"We took the license number of the car where we found the purse and came to The Harbourfront Restaurant to ask about the licence.'' Managing director of the restaurant, Emilio Barbieri asked if there was someone in the restaurant who owned the car. No one came forward but the owner of the purse was eventually found and it was returned to her. "She was stunned and overjoyed that someone found her wallet and returned it to her.

"After my husband brought the wallet in, the managing director (of the restaurant) gave us US$40 out of his pocket,'' Mrs. Easton said. "And he offered us a meal with him as well. That is the first time someone treated us like that, to return a kindness like that.'' Ms Lunkina, who spoke through an interpreter, said: "I was tired from the flight. I got out of the car. I didn't know I lost my wallet. I hadn't discovered it was gone until the man brought it to me.

"I was very relieved. I was happy that someone found the wallet for me, not because of the money, but because the purse contained important documents. It would be frustrating to lose them. There were documents about the Bolshoi Ballet. It is very important that the ballerinas have their documents on them.

It was very pleasant for someone to make that gesture.''