- Almost 3,000 missing items were left on buses in and around Oxford in 2023
- Underwear, a musket, and Egyptian papyrus were among the strangest items
- Just 750 items were successfully returned to their owners
A sex toy, underwear and even a musket were among strange items left on buses in and around Oxford last year.
The Oxford Bus Company revealed the odd things that customers misplaced in the posh city renowned for its top university.
In total 2,950 missing items were left onboard in 2023.
Of them, 750 were successfully returned to their owners.
This is almost a 50% improvement in returns compared to the previous year.
The top ten unusual missing items last year included an adult toy and a pair of underwear.
A number of musical instruments were recovered including a saxophone, clarinet and trombone.
Bizarrely, an antique musket gun was recovered after it was forgotten about on board.
A pair of boxing gloves was also found after a passenger left them behind.
Staff also found a gentleman’s cane on one of their buses.
Nitrous gas – which was made illegal to possess in November – was also discovered amongst the lost items.
Staff were left scratching their heads after a passenger left Egyptian papyrus paper on one of the buses.
Oxford Bus Company was the first bus operator in the UK to use new technology to make it easier for passengers to be reunited with their lost belongings.
In 2019, it partnered with the innovative NotLost platform.
This digitally logs misplaced items quickly.
The system helps to match them to the rightful owner.
Passengers who reclaim items, pay a £1 administration and storage fee for the return of their belongings to help towards costs.
There is also a postal service option available for returns.
Unrecovered items are donated to local charities, or safely disposed of after a set period.
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.’
Oxford Bus Company has previously revealed lost items in recent years which have included a lightsaber, a fireman’s hat, a Soviet hat, a letter detailing sexual fantasies, a Donald Trump toilet roll and Voldemort’s wand.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
