A nine-year-old girl was rewarded for her honesty after handing in the wallet of a cash-strapped student who thought he had lost £345.

Rebecca Nettley, a pupil of St Mary's Roman Catholic School in Vale Road, Portslade, spotted the black wallet, which also contained numerous credit cards, on a bench next to a bus stop in Hove.

However, she didn't think twice about taking it to the nearest police station.

She nagged her mum, Glendora, to take her there straight away.

The grateful owner, university student Liam O'Dwyer, was over the moon when he heard of Rebecca's honesty as the money was to pay his rent.

PC Andy Hart, of Sussex Police, awarded Rebecca an honesty certificate for her act of citizenship at a special school assembly.

He had taken an assembly two weeks before Rebecca found the wallet, teaching children the difference between right and wrong.

He said: "The police like to award good behaviour as well as chasing people for bad.

"It's nice to encourage people of this age to do the right thing and hopefully it will be an example to everybody else.

"The owner of the wallet was overjoyed that it had been handed in to police.

"Rebecca did the right thing."

Rebecca's classmates clapped loudly as she modestly accepted her certificate and her proud mum looked on.

Mrs Nettley, of Mile Oak Gardens, Portslade, said: "Rebecca has always been an honest girl. Even though we're all honest in the family and the school tries to teach them to be good it's nice the police have come in to do this. I'm ever so proud of her."

Rebecca was delighted to receive a visit from the grateful student after her find on March 28.

He gave her an Easter Egg and a thank-you card with £20 inside.

She said: "When I saw it I thought somebody would come and pick it up.

"I waited a couple of seconds and then told my mum. I was really pleased when the owner came round."