Paddington and toy gun among Metro lost and found

The weird and wonderful world of Metro lost property

A Paddington bear and toy gun were among the more than 2,500 items left on the Tyne and Wear Metro in 2023.

More than 150 mobile phones, 100 pairs of glasses and 100 wallets were also lost on the network which saw 33 million journeys in the year, Nexus said.

Umbrellas, keys and handbags were also commonly lost on the Metro, while more than 10 bikes were abandoned at stations or on trains.

Unclaimed items will be put up for sale at Tynemouth Market with the proceeds donated to charity.

Some of the umbrellas and walking sticks lost on the Metro in 2023

They are kept in the lost and found property office at South Gosforth for three months after which they are put into storage.

A sale of unclaimed items is held every two years with the next due to take place in Tynemouth in the summer of 2024.

John Souter, the head of customer service at Nexus, said: “From time to time we see more bizarre items which make you wonder how someone could have lost them on a Metro trains.

“Over the years we’ve had everything from false teeth, surf boards and boxing gloves, to ladders, Christmas trees and sombreros."