Cruise donates US$5000 to injured little girl

Tom Cruise has slipped US$5000 ($7085) cash into a collection box at a fast-food restaurant for an 11-year-old accident victim.

Cruise, who is in Virginia filming War of the Worlds, stopped by the Lexington restaurant, accompanied by director Steven Spielberg and about 20 others.

Accident victim Ashley Flint, 11, faces a fourth operation in January, and her single mother cannot pay the medical bills.

Flint was seriously injured in a go-cart accident in September. Her family placed the collection box in the restaurant.

"I'm very grateful to Tom Cruise," the girl's mother was quoted as saying by the Roanoke Times newspaper.

The restaurant had closed for the night for an employee Christmas party when Cruise arrived. The staff gladly opened its doors and let Cruise order ice cream.