Top 10 most unusual items left on UK buses - including underwear and an old gun

06 January 2024 , 14:20

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Lexy Hudson, Customer Services Manager with some of the less risque items left behind on Oxford Buses (Image: Jam Press/Oxford Bus Company)

A sex toy, some underwear and even a musket are just a few of the items left behind on buses by travellers last year, according to one lost property office.

Drugs, musical instruments and boxing gloves have also been discovered after forgetful passengers abandoned them on Oxford Bus Company vehicles. Careless commuters left 2,950 items on the buses in 2023 with the top ten most unusual items last year including an adult toy and a pair of underwear.

Drivers also handed in a number of musical instruments which were recovered from buses - including a saxophone, clarinet and trombone. Bizarrely, an antique musket gun was recovered after it was left behind on board. A pair of boxing gloves was also found after a passenger left them behind and staff also found a gentleman's cane on one of their buses.

Nitrous gas - which was made illegal to possess in November last year - was also discovered amongst the lost items. Staff at the bus depot were left scratching their heads after a passenger left an Egyptian papyrus paper on one of the buses. This possibly had something to do with a scholar from nearby Oxford university.

Out of the nearly 3,000 misplaced items, around 750 have been returned to their owners, which is a 50% improvement in returns compared to the previous year, the bus company said. Unrecovered items are donated to local charities, or safely disposed of after a set period. Oxford Bus Company has previously revealed lost items in recent years which have included a lightsaber, a fireman's hat, a Soviet Union hat, a letter detailing sexual fantasies, a Donald Trump toilet roll and Voldemort's wand.

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The Oxford Bus Company operates its services in the university city (Jam Press/Oxford Bus Company)

Andy Morison, Head of Customer Experience at Oxford Bus Company said: "A lot of items are left on our buses and coaches and we highlight the unusual ones to remind people that lost things are kept. It is always worth checking with us if you lose something on our services, as we may well be able to assist.

"Misplacing belongings can be a stressful experience and so we use technology to help make it easier for people to get their items back. We're proud of our record at managing lost property and work hard to help reunite items with their owners. Last year while we saw a similar volume of lost items there was a significant increase in people securing their return, which is great news."

The transport company has recently partnered with NotLost, a digital platform that helps log misplaced items and matches them with their rightful owners. Passengers who reclaim items, pay a £1 admin fee, there is also a postal service option available for return.

Chloe Cawood