Life-size cut-out of Brad Pitt and Tiffany engagement ring among items left at Brighton Travelodge branches in 2019

A lifesize cut-out of Brad Pitt, a Tiffany diamond engagement ring estimated to be worth £5,000 and a litre of seawater in a labelled plastic bottle were among items found at Travelodge’s Preston Road and West Street hotels last year.

The chain has revealed the items as part of its annual lost and found audit of its 571 branches across the UK.

Lost property also included a Christmas grotto, an Elvis outfit, a large chocolate teapot, tarot cards, a box of wedding invites, a Mont Blanc pen and a castle cake, all of which were claimed.

Travelodge says it saw a growing trend for forgetful pet owners and wedding props and wedding attire left behind in 2019. It also says there was a rise in ‘more executive items’ forgotten due to more business customers staying at the hotels.

Travelodge spokesperson Shakila Ahmed said: “With nearly 19 million customers annually staying at our 571 UK hotels including two in Brighton for thousands of different reasons, we do get a range of interesting items left behind.

“This year’s audit includes: a pair of Alpacas called Ant and Dec, a 65-year-old lucky bonsai tree, an Aston Martin, a dissertation, a gingerbread village with residents and a precious 20-year-old celebrity autograph book.

“Interestingly our hotel teams have reported a rise in wedding and proposal props being left behind in our hotels in 2019. This included a 5ft floral unicorn, a huge full moon, a flower wall, palm trees, a Tiffany engagement ring and even a best man.

“As we have more business customers staying in our hotels than ever before, we are seeing a continuous rise in important business papers, valuable items and lucky charms being left behind in our hotels. This includes a 65-year-old lucky bonsai tree that has been passed down three generations, important business documentation and a brand new identity artwork.”

She added: “When it comes to why so many of our customers forget their treasured items, it’s basically due to us all being time poor, juggling multiple tasks and being in a hurry to get from A to B. In the rush, valuable possessions are easily forgotten.”

The most common items left behind across its branches included chargers, mobile phones, tablets and Kindles, business papers, notepads, presentations, books, teddy bears and jewellery.