Sledge offered in Metro auction

A wheelchair, a sledge, a baseball bat and a pair of roller blades are among some of the items up for sale in an annual lost property auction.

Hundreds of belongings left on the Tyne and Wear Metro system in the last year will go under the hammer at Whitley Bay station on Thursday morning.

Other items being offered include a set of blinds, 134 mobile phones, 123 pairs of spectacles and 38 pairs of shoes.

The auction is staged to raise money for mayors' charities in the area.

In previous years bidders have snapped up bizarre objects such as a false leg, a kitchen sink and a stuffed dog.

Andy Bairstow, communications director for Metro operator Nexus, said: "The lost property auction always proves popular and it's a great way for us to clear the backlog of items that people leave on board our trains.

"It really is amazing what some of our passengers will leave behind and this year is no different."