Quirky items left on Sussex buses revealed

More than 13,000 items were left on board buses in Sussex last year - including such quirky ones as a fridge, a set of false teeth and a suitcase full of shoes.

Brighton and Hove Buses and Metrobus, which operates journeys in and around Crawley, Horsham and Gatwick Airport, have been revealing the sorts of things handed in to their lost property services in 2024.

Wallets and purses were the most common item, followed by keys, glasses, phones and hats.

But the list also contained a number of surprising items, including but not limited to a canoe, a grass trimmer, a microwave, a wardrobe, an electric cooker, two safes, a tent, a pool cue, an inflatable bed and an urn containing ashes.

Plenty of musical instruments were also left on board - three guitars, two violins, a trumpet, and even a tambourine

A whopping 68 people forgot their passports last year, and five people managed even to leave their laundry on board.

There were also over 700 instances where cash was handed into teams, totalling over £9,000 - most of it ended up being returned to owners.

For all those items that don’t get claimed, the teams at Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus donate to local charities like Rockinghorse Appeal, Dogs Trust and Alzheimer’s Society (and many more), and in 2024 managed to help raise almost £1,000 through donated items.

Here's the most common items found on bus services in Sussex last year:

• Wallets or purses (1273)

• Keys (1205)

• Glasses (1203)

• Phones (680)

• Hats (585)

• Umbrellas (475)

• Bottles or flasks (467)

• Jackets (428)

• Rucksacks (391)

• Books (347)

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