Northern is appealing to customers to check they have all their personal belongings with them before leaving the train.
Train operator Northern says it has recorded more than 32,690 cases of lost property since July 2022 and the most common items to be left behind are phones and laptops.
They are far from the most interesting, however. A prosthetic leg, a hamster without a cage and a wig are just some of the items customers have left behind.
Some of the other belongings which have been left behind include a cupboard, crutches, an ironing board and a 10kg box of chicken breasts.
One customer left their bike of the train while they were still wearing a helmet and another contacted Northern to try and track down a plain white handkerchief.
Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly stations are lost property hotspots, but forgotten items are also regularly found at stations and on services across Northern’s network.
“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,” Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director.
“Unattended bags 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.”
Image credit: Northern
