Medical emergency charity MAGPAS has teamed up with Stansted Airport to host an unclaimed luggage sale next month.

The event, which takes place in Huntingdon on October 24, will see luggage, and its contents, which has been left behind by passengers at the airport in Essex, sold off. Suitcases and the contents are donated to charity by airports if they are not claimed within a time limit. Airports usually remove lap-tops, mobile phones and expensive items and these are auctioned off separately, but buyers get to keep the contents of the suitcase. They are allowed to pick up the suitcase or holdall prior to the sale to feel the weight, but not open it.

MAGPAS has been given a collection of various sizes and makes of suitcases and travel holders and Sarah Webb, from Stansted Airport’s baggage department, explained why the airport chose to support the charity.

“MAGPAS is a charity that’s there for everyone and anyone who needs them, so we wanted to raise money for them. Visiting the MAGPAS operation’s base just highlighted the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to make this life-saving service happen.”

The luggage has been collected from the airport by Peterborough-based Miramar Engineering and its company director, Greg Pelling, said: “It’s our way of giving something back and it’s more of a hands-on approach than writing a cheque. We also thought it was great use of the company’s facilities and resources. Miramar spend so much time on the roads, it’s brilliant to know MAGPAS are there if we ever need them.”

Luggage is lost everyday in the UK, whether it be at an airport, on the underground or even in the streets. If it is not tagged with the owners name, address and phone number it is held in lost property rooms at the nearest place to where it was found. If it remains unclaimed for three months it will be then sold at auctions.

INFO: The sale will take place between 10am and 3pm on October 24 at the MAGPAS fund-raising headquarters in St Mary’s Street, Huntingdon.

Pic cap: MAGPAS paramedic Simon Standen, Sarah Webb, Scott Hyam who is also from the baggage department at Stansted, MAGPAS Doctor Zoe Smeed, former patient Wendy Mason, and Greg Pelling with some of the unclaimed luggage which will go up for sale.