Lockdown hasn't been able to rain on the parade of a newly seven-year-old Wellington boy, with his local supermarket helping celebrate his birthday.
Young Austin O'Neill's birthday party had to be cancelled, instead just celebrating it with his family.
But when he went to the Kilbernie supermarket with his mum the next day, he got a very special surprise.
When he told one of the Countdown workers it had been his birthday, she brought him to the front of the store and made a store-wide announcement wishing him a happy birthday.
She then sang him Happy Birthday over the intercom, with fellow customers joining in with cheers.
"She then went and bought him a box of Favourites and little Easter eggs," mum Rachel O'Neill told 1 NEWS.
"A lot of people in the shop were clapping when she finished her announcement. I've never seen it happen before, it was awesome."
Aside from the special message, Austin's lockdown birthday party ended up being special in its own way.
"We were planning to go to the movies but couldn't do that, so just ended up having a party at home with us and my other kids," Ms O'Neill says.
"I ended up blowing 50 balloons for him to play in and making a dinosaur cake. He said it was his best birthday ever!"
The worker has been identified as Mata Atonio on social media, with locals praising her joy and love during the tough times.


















SHARE ME