POSTMAN Justin Lovstrom went out of his way to help a woman pensioner cross the road and ended up getting praised on Facebook.

Mr Lovstrom, 47, from Abingdon, was doing his rounds in the town centre on Tuesday when he spotted the woman pensioner struggling to cross High Street near the Grapes pub.

A passing motorist took a photo and posted it on Facebook.

Mr Lovstrom, who has worked as a postman for the past 26 years, said he was surprised his simple act of kindness had got so much attention on social media.

He added: "The lady was quite elderly, she must have been in her seventies or eighties.

"It was about 9.30am and she started to head out across two lanes of traffic without looking and I thought she looked very vulnerable - I thought there was going to be an accident so I offered to help and she was very grateful.

"When I got home later I saw the photo was being shared on Facebook - I couldn't believe the attention I was getting.

"But I don't think I have done anything special - I hope someone else would do the same if it was my mum crossing the road."

In 2014, Mr Lovstrom – who lives with wife Jackie, 47, and daughters Freya, 14, and Phoebe, 12 – ran 100 miles in just over 26 hours for charity.

He took part in the Thames Path 100, an ultra marathon from London to Oxford.

His efforts raised more than £3,000, which was split between the Amber Phillpott Trust and the Oxford Heart Centre.

The Amber Phillpott Trust for leukaemia research was set up by the parents of Amber, who died from the disease in 2011.

Mr Lovstrom added: "I'm injured at the moment so I'm not doing any running but I would like to get back into it."