AN ASDA employee went 500 miles out of his way to help give a grandma a new garden gnome.

Inga Kelsey was left distraught after her grandmother gnome, bought by her eight-year-old granddaughter, Kennedy, was stolen from her home in Hythe, near Southampton.

Kennedy had secretly saved up her pocket money to buy the gnome, which was a gift to cheer up her grandma after a recent illness.

Following a Facebook post by Kennedy’s mother, Tiffany, an Asda colleague from Poole tracked down one of the popular gnomes, which are now sold out nationwide.

He had to travel to the supermarket’s head office in Leeds to collect the gnome, before personally delivering it to Inga’s house – a 550 mile round trip.

“I am so grateful to Asda for working so hard in finding me a replacement,” Inga said. “They really have gone above and beyond to help me.

“The gnome is so special to me as my beautiful granddaughter was so thoughtful in saving up and buying it for me,” she continued.

“Kennedy said she wanted to make me happy – she has no idea just how happy I am.”

Tiffany explained she had no idea her daughter had been saving up to buy her grandmother the gnome when picking it off the supermarket shelf.

“It was only when she pulled out her hard-earned cash that she told me her master plan.

“The gnome’s smiley face reminded Kennedy of her grandma, and she told me how she wants to make her grandma happy and proud.”

Julie Motherwell, community champion at Asda Totton, said she was “glad” the supermarket chain was able to track down one of the gnomes for Inga and her family as they “flew off the shelves earlier this year”.

She added: “Inga’s face when we presented her with the gnome was a lovely image and one we will remember for a long time – it just goes to show that we are one big team at Asda and will continue to go above and beyond for our customers.”

Earlier this year, 82-year-old Anne Pearce discovered her prized garden gnomes had been stolen from her home in Ferndown.

Her son Andrew had given them to her as a gift for Mother's Day.