Charity gets teeth into armour and 20ft canoe

A suit of armour, a 20ft canoe and an urn full of ashes are some of the more unusual items which have been donated to a charity this year.

A gas mask, used toilet seat and a set of false teeth also turned up in collection bags for veterinary charity the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).

Bullets, a wetsuit and flippers, an emergency distress flare and a kitchen sink were also donated among the standard clothing, books and bric-a-brac.

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The PDSA said it promptly discarded the toilet seat and false teeth, and the distress flare and bullets were handed on to the police.

The canoe and paddles which were donated to its Aldershot store fetched 40 and the antique gas mask was bought by a collector for 15.

Other money-earners were a Louis Vuitton purse worth 300 and a gold-rimmed set of saucepans which were given anonymously to the store at Winton, Bournemouth, and went on to raise 1,500.

Collectibles donated to the charity have included Beatles LPs, a set of Doctor Who videos, Jane Austen novels dating from 1900 and a Royal Albert tea set worth more than 100.

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PDSA spokesman Andrew Holl said: “Charity shops are a magnet for bargain hunters and a great destination for people looking for hidden treasures, such as designer labels and antiques.

“Unlike chain stores, charity shops have a real individual mix of objects for sale and no two stores are ever the same.

“You never know what hidden gems you may uncover.”

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