Octopus, cat and shotgun ‘are among items left on trains’ by Britains

Travelers queue for domestic train services at St. Pancras Station in London. File Photo.

Believe it or not, a dead octopus, a cat and part of a shotgun are among the items which passengers in Britain have left on trains this year, according to rail companies.

Mobile phones and jackets are among the most commonly forgotten items. But items that might seem difficult to forget included a bag containing a dead octopus which was handed in at Edinburgh, ‘The Daily Telegraph’ reported.

A cat was left on a train going from Cardonald to Glasgow, and one passenger also left half of a shotgun, along with the licence and ammunition, on a London to Glasgow train during the summer, the report said.

Staff called police, who took it away and the gun’s owner was told to contact the officers when he phoned to say he had lost his gun. Other recent finds include a hockey stick, a wheelchair and a trumpet, while two clarinets and two violins caused confusion when they’re both handed in on the same day.

The office at Edinburgh’s Waverley station receives around 120 items a week, while Glasgow’s Central Station deals with about 60. About 20 per cent of people reclaim their possessions.

Beverley MacFall, the Manager of the two cities’ lost property offices, said: “We get hats, gloves and scarves in the summer and coats in the summer, and during festival season people leave tents, sleeping bags, bed rolls and deckchairs, beach toys and even a body board.”

“The office is not so much Aladdin’s Cave as Aladdin’s washing basket on the whole. It’s very satisfying when you can help people get their things back, especially if it has sentimental value.” Beverley added.