SPIDEY SENSE: Homeless Woman Replaces Spider-Man Bike Stolen From Three-Year-Old Boy

A homeless woman living in her car has been hailed a superhero after she bought a new Spider-Man bike after a thief stole a three-year-old boy's treasured toy.

Mum Liz Fuller-Wright had left the bike outside a store while they shopped in the city of Rockland, in the US state of Maine, at the end of March.

Liz said: "We went to Walgreens, and we stopped and put his bike on the sidewalk and then decided to give him a little candy treat and say, 'Woo hoo, you made it half a mile.'"

She added: "We came out, and the bike wasn't there. And I walked up and down the length of the sidewalk thinking because there's those big cement columns, so I thought maybe I just couldn't see it. But it wasn't there."

"It was a mix of emotions. I mean, sad, disappointed, you know, angry at the state of humanity. He's three years old. This is his first bike

"And you don't want to think that anybody would do that."

CCTV footage released by police shows a man on a bike with what seems to be the stolen toy.

Astonished police were later contacted by a homeless woman who had heard about the theft.

Despite having to give up her home and live in her car, she had bought an exact copy of the missing bike complete with Spider-Man helmet.

And in true superhero style, she insisted on keeping her identity secret.

Rockland Police Department broke the good news in a statement obtained by Newsflash.

They said: "Last night, a superhero (who wishes to remain anonymous), stopped by the Rockland Police Department and donated a brand new Spider-Man bicycle, matching helmet and bike lock for our young victim!

"The hero wanted nothing in return, but in speaking to one of our officers, we learned a little about her own recent struggles that made this gesture even more heartfelt.

"The woman, who lives all the way in Oxford County, saw our post and felt as if she just had to do something to help.

"Unfortunately, she was recently forced to choose between making her rent or vehicle payment.

"Not wanting to default on the car loan, she is now currently unhoused and living out of her vehicle."

They added: "Her own struggles did not deter the woman however; and she selflessly purchased a new bike, helmet and lock at a local Wal-Mart and made the drive to Rockland.

"The women’s generosity was contagious and a clerk who heard what she was doing, gave her money to help pay for tolls.

"Today officers were happily able to hand over the donated bike and equipment to the victim’s mother; who was overwhelmed by the generosity of others."

Mum Liz told local media: "I was able to give her a call and we spoke for a few minutes, and she told me her story.

"And I just couldn't believe it. She's not someone flush with cash.

"But she gave so much, so generously to a little boy she'd never met, never known. Because she wanted him to be happy.

"She didn't want him to think that there were that there were bad guys in the world. She wanted him to have faith in humanity."

The woman's generosity has triggered an outpouring from locals wanting to help her.

The police said that while they were not allowed to raise money themselves, they wanted to point people interested in helping the homeless woman towards the Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition, who they said were "collecting funds for those who wish to donate to the woman."

The Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition (MCRC), a local non-profit that was created to support individuals and families dealing with addiction issues, had reportedly collected nearly USD 1,200 (GBP 965) in donations for the homeless woman as thanks for her generosity.