A seven-year-old girl left a "lovely" note of thanks for the Metro employees still coming to work in these "bad times".
The note was discovered stuck in a window on a train towards South Hylton on Thursday by Shaun Darley, from Sunderland.
Shaun had headed out for essential shopping when he spotted the note, and shared a picture of it on Twitter to help brighten the day of any Metro workers who might not have been on that particular train.
The letter read: "To Metro workers, I am called Kasie Leigh Williams I am seven.
"I really want to say thank you for still working hard in this bad times.
"If you didn't come to work my mum and me couldn't of got any food and supplies in.
"So thank you all you are fantastic!"
Shaun said: "I thought it was such a lovely gesture - the Metro staff are obviously extremely strained right now as a result of the pandemic, and so I thought that it would be nice to share with the staff online. "
And the little lass' efforts have been hugely appreciated by the staff who have now seen her note.
Nexus customer services director Huw Lewis said: "The whole Metro team are doing an heroic job keeping trains moving for key workers and people who need to make essential journeys to shop for food. This letter is so heartfelt and inspiring, it really brings home what an important role they have to play at this difficult time.
"We have a small army of engineers, controllers, train crew, customer service advisors and cleaners at work night and day.
"This letter is a precious thing for us to share and I can't say thank you enough to Kasie Leigh for taking the time - and having the thoughtfulness - to write it, and I only hope we get the chance to thank her properly."
With much of the country on lockdown, the North East has found plenty of creative ways to thank those key workers who still have vital jobs to do outside the home.
On Thursday night, the region joined in a national round of applause for NHS workers and carers at 8pm, while many have shared their thanks for the other vital workers, including transplant staff; teachers at those schools which have remained open; shop workers; agricultural workers and more.
