The hamster, the wig and the cupboard – Northern customers report more than 32,600 items of lost property

A prosthetic leg, a hamster without a cage and a wig are just some of the things customers have left behind on Northern services.

The train operator which runs regional services including from and through Ilkeston Railway Station, said it has recorded more than 32,690 cases of lost property since July 2022 and the most common items to be left behind are phones and laptops.

Northern is now appealing to customers to check they have all their personal belongings with them before leaving the train, having gathered so many items including from main city hotspots on its network.

Some of the other belongings which have been left behind include a cupboard, crutches, an ironing board and a 10kg box of chicken breasts.

One customer left their bike of the train while they were still wearing a helmet and another contacted Northern to try and track down a plain white handkerchief.

Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director, said: “We understand that losing something can be extremely stressful so we often remind customers to make sure they have all of their personal belongings before leaving the train.

"Unattended bags our trains and at our stations can also prompt security alerts which cause delays and disruption.

"When a passenger comes forward to report lost property, our staff work hard to track down that item and reunite them – but it’s no mean feat." 

For more information about what to do if you leave something behind on a Northern train, visit: northernrailway.co.uk/travel/lost-property.