The ten weirdest things lost in the post

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Every week about 600,000 pieces of mail are unable to be delivered because they are so badly addressed or packaged, while 25,000 letters posted have only the recipient's name printed on them.

Anything that cannot find its way to the recipient goes to the Royal Mail's National Return Centre in Belfast, where 'address detectives' investigate the origins of the mail and try to track down who the package is for. Unclaimed items of any value are eventually auctioned off.

This is the only place in the country where it is legal to open someone else's mail. And some pretty strange things end up there..

1. Milk

A woman posts two two litre bottles of milk to her grandson each week, but unfortunately the address is incomplete so they are never delivered - arriving in Belfast without fail, and always slightly curdled. Despite numerous attempts to track down the granny's identity she remains elusive.

2. Dead animals

Apparently the centre receives an alarming number of dead animals arriving unaddressed, some of which are stuffed and, after a bit of sleuthing, have been successfully reunited with their taxidermist.

3. Film props

On one particular occasion a box with no address arrived containing props from the film Saving Private Ryan, including a bloodied prosthetic hand.

4. Car parts

Someone sent a car door in the post - it arrived at the centre with no address and no evidence as to its origin.

5. False teeth

The Royal Mail get stuck with plenty of false teeth, which are generally sent back to a dentist if the origin can be traced.

6. 1966 World Cup bottle of champagne

Signed by the whole team, this bottle of bubbly had been a prize in a competition but the winner was never informed so had no idea to keep an eye out for its arrival. After a very long time the surprised owner was traced and received their prize. Better late than never.

7. Kiss statue

A cardboard cut-out of heavy metal group Kiss wound up at the centre and is still propped up in Belfast, owner unknown.

8. Traffic lights

It is anybody's guess who would go to the effort of posting some enormous traffic lights, and then forget to address the package. The post office ran a campaign to trace the owner but no one came forward.

9. False legs

Like false teeth, prosthetic limbs often get lost in the post. Most are never reunited with their owners but some are sent back to the correct health authority.

10. Digeridoo

Luckily, once the package was opened address details were found inside the instrument and it was forwarded on to its rightful owner.

If you think you have lost something in the post contact the Royal Mail customer services helpline on 08457 740 740

By Laura Whateley

[stokes11eg]

I think the gnashers, false leg and didgeridoo might belong to D.G.P

[DGP1]

This is the only place in the country where it is legal to open someone else's mail.

There and Glasgow MC

[axeman]

Bet Rolf Harris laid claim to the didgeridoo
but it took police intervention to re-unite the 'bagpipes' with there owner perhaps they have been forced to try a tad harder to find the owners of these things

[DGP1]

I think the gnashers, false leg and didgeridoo might belong to D.G.P

I wondered where they had gone to

[stokes11eg]

I wonder if Royal Mail still sell off these unclaimed items? just think D.G.P. pick up enough spare parts and you could be a new man!

[DGP1]

I wonder if Royal Mail still sell off these unclaimed items? just think D.G.P. pick up enough spare parts and you could be a new man!

I don't need a new man, I've got dvbuk but I suppose another one can't hurt (unless of course I want that )

[stokes11eg]

no, but just think how you could look with a make over, and maybe D.V would like the new look

[dvbuk55]

I wonder if Royal Mail still sell off these unclaimed items? just think D.G.P. pick up enough spare parts and you could be a new man!

I don't need a new man, I've got dvbuk but I suppose another one can't hurt (unless of course I want that )

OK everyone I wasn't going to tell, but those brown jiffy bags with the ahem "tools" without batteries that keep arriving at Belfast - yep they're dgps - they don't have a return address because I didn't want anyone to know where they came from He's too shy to go to the Callers to pick them up - I keep telling him to wear his "week-end frock and wig" he would pass for a tranny any day

[stokes11eg]

The mind boggles-jiffy bags-batteries, locked toilet doors.
Is nothing sacred or should I say secret?