THE STRANGE THINGS WE LEAVE IN OUR CARS

Sex toys and underwear are among the items most often lost in the nooks and crannies of our cars, according to a survey of dealers. Now HonkHonk.co.uk is calling on car owners to avoid embarrassment by checking more carefully for lost possessions before handing their vehicle over. HonkHonk asked independent dealers what they most typically discover when they're inspecting a car. While drinks flasks, tools or even crutches commonly lie forgotten in the boot, HonkHonk were surprised to learn that sex toys and underwear rank as high as umbrellas among the possessions we most often leave behind. Children's 'Happy Meal' toys are a regular find, lost in the interior nooks and crannies of a car, but one dealer recently discovered an engagement ring and another found a high-end bottle of Vodka, valued at £250. False teeth, mobile phones, items of underwear, loose change and even the keys to a safe have also been unearthed during a deep clean, but dealers say that returning a sex toy to the previous owner presents a special dilemma. Sebastien Duval, CEO of HonkHonk, said: "Dealers return anything they think may have value to the previous owner, but sometimes it's not so easy to decide whether to reveal a find. One found an engagement ring which they enjoyed reuniting with a relieved fiance but what do you do with a rechargeable sex toy or a pair of furry handcuffs? The biggest surprise to us was that those kinds of items are found as often as the more predictable things like umbrellas or raincoats." Dealers also reported finding brand new items, apparently left behind after shopping trips - including a pair of boots - and someone even forgot to retrieve a stone bust when they handed their car over. Sebastien Duval said: "Dealers are used to finding all manner of things in cars and returning them to their original owners, but who knows how the customer will react to something as personal as a sex toy, especially if their partner was the main driver of the vehicle and they didn't recognise it. "Our advice to motorists is to take extra care to search every part of the car, not only to avoid leaving something useful behind but also to avoid potential future embarrassment. He added: "In a sign of the times, several joked that the most surprising thing they find in the current economic climate is fuel remaining in the tank."