The most bizarre items lost on trains: From a hamster, prosthetic leg and chicken breasts

By IWAN STONE, NEWS REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

A train company has revealed the bizarre mix of lost property left behind by passengers - including a hamster, huge boxes of food and even a prosthetic leg.

Northern have collected more than 32,690 pieces of eclectic lost property over the last two years - calling on their customers to try and take more care in future.

In a stunning collection of forgotten paraphernalia Brits were shown to have left behind even the most essential equipment as they continued their journeys.

Crutches, a wig and even a cupboard were discovered in the company's carriages - while a 10kg box of chicken breasts also slipped its owner's mind.

One passenger even left their bike on a train while they were still wearing a helmet. 

But despite the exotic array of lost luggage the company admitted that mobile phones and laptops remain the most common lost items.

Northern's commercial and customer director Alex Hornby said: 'We understand that losing something can be extremely stressful so we often remind customers to make sure they have all of their personal belongings before leaving the train.

Northern have collected more than 32,690 pieces of eclectic lost property over the last two years - calling on their customers to try and take more care in future

Northern have collected more than 32,690 pieces of eclectic lost property over the last two years - calling on their customers to try and take more care in future

Even a pet hamster was left behind on a train journey over the last year, Northern revealed

Even a pet hamster was left behind on a train journey over the last year, Northern revealed

In a stunning collection of forgotten paraphernalia Brits were shown to have left behind even the most essential equipment as they continued their journeys

In a stunning collection of forgotten paraphernalia Brits were shown to have left behind even the most essential equipment as they continued their journeys

Crutches, a wig and even a cupboard were discovered in the company's carriages - while a 10kg box of chicken breasts also slipped its owner's mind

Crutches, a wig and even a cupboard were discovered in the company's carriages - while a 10kg box of chicken breasts also slipped its owner's mind

'Unattended bags on our trains and at our stations can also prompt security alerts which cause delays and disruption.

'When a passenger comes forward to report lost property our staff work hard to track down that item and reunite them - but it's no mean feat.'

Items in Northern's lost property office can be collevcted from the company for up to 90 days.

After this point they may be given to charity or disposed of. 

It comes a year after Transport for London - which was predicted to have been responsible for 3.6million passengers in the last year - was forced to move its lost property offices to accommodate the huge numbers of objects being stored.

The capital's network was forced to take the drastic action 90 years after they opened the service, as numbers continue to spike.

Lost property office performance manager Diana Quaye said the success rate of items being reclaimed is 'very small'. 

She said: 'When we moved here, there were about 62,000 items. We receive around 6,000 items a week.

Items handed into TfL's lost property office last year included this giant Octopus

Items handed into TfL's lost property office last year included this giant Octopus 

The most common items handed in are mobile phones and umbrellas, but large stuffed animals are often left behind on trains and buses

The most common items handed in are mobile phones and umbrellas, but large stuffed animals are often left behind on trains and buses 

'It's a very small success rate of people claiming the items. Unfortunately, a lot of people feel if they lose an item, nobody will hand it in.

'There's a large amount of items that we have within the lost property office, so we do advise that if you lose any type of item please go online and see if you can reclaim it.'

Ms Quaye said some of the most common types of items handed in are mobile phones, headphones, bags and umbrellas.

Recent examples of more unusual objects include a giant octopus soft toy and a homemade costume inspired by sci-fi television series Doctor Who.

In relation to the latter, Ms Quaye said: 'We had a Dalek costume the other day.

'Everybody was saying 'how would you lose that?'.'

TFL

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