Lost and found at Madrid’s Barajas Airport, Spain

OF 39,000 items lost at Barajas airport in Madrid last year, only 6,000 were claimed.

The remaining objects, which included a lawnmower and a wedding dress, were forwarded to Madrid city hall for disposal.

People passing through the airport manage to lose around 3,000 of their possessions each month, although the figure is even higher during holiday periods.

On average around 500 belts, 250 tablets, laptops and e-books, 150 pairs of spectacles and 100 mobile phones are handed in to the airport’s two lost property offices each month.

False teeth, a butane gas bottle, a portable oxygen tank and bricks are amongst the less usual finds.

The lost property offices in the T1 and T4 arrivals halls handle approximately 32,000 enquiries each year and answer 41,000 phone calls.

They deal only with objects left in the airport buildings, as possessions left on aircraft have to be reclaimed from the airline involved.