A town-centre scrum erupted when a mystery man hurled what is thought to be thousands of pounds in the air.
Passers-by dashed across the street to fill their pockets after he shouted: ‘Who wants free money?’
People were seen scurrying to pick up the bank notes – some on their hands and knees – at the pedestrian crossing in Alexandra Road, Aberystwyth, mid Wales.
Stunned shopkeeper John Morris, 55, caught the chaos on the CCTV camera outside his fishing-tackle shop about 11am.
He said: "I was standing in the door and suddenly I saw all these notes.
"I thought it was a joke – I couldn’t believe it. "The money landed on the floor and people were looking at it.
"Then they were bundling it in their pockets. I have never seen anything like it before."
The man, who was wearing a red Welsh rugby jersey, disappeared as people dived in to grab the cash.
"No-one seems to know where he came from," Mr Morris added.
Some quick-fingered people he spoke to made off with hundreds of pounds.
He said: "I’ve met a few of them today – that’s how I knew about it being genuine, because one said he banked the money.
"Lots of people kept it and ran off. I was just standing in the door and watched what was happening."
BBC Online said: "Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed a man from Aberystwyth had thrown a sum of money in the air on Alexandra Road before driving away."
A police spokeswoman said officers were investigating a motoring offence in connection with the incident.
Daily Mail