A dad says he has been left stunned after a wallet full of cash he lost was returned to him.....almost seven years later! Gig-goer Andy Evans, 45, from Wythenshawe, left the wallet, containing his driving licence bank cards, and £134 in cash in a taxi as he travelled back from watching The Courteeners at Heaton Park in June 2015.
Dad-of-two Andy flagged the black mini-bus style taxi down outside the park in north Manchester and had no idea which firm it belonged to, so he had no way of contacting the driver.
He assumed it was gone forever when he realised it wasn't in his jeans pocket shortly after stepping out of the cab. So he was left gobsmacked when this weekend a package sent recorded delivery arrived for him containing the wallet - exactly as he had left it all those years ago.
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The brown Henri Lloyd wallet was completely undisturbed and had all the cash still inside with the notes folded as Andy had put them in. However, they are now so old some of the notes anc coins are no longer in circulation.
The wallet contained two old-style twenty-pound notes which can still be used but Andy will have to take the old paper five and ten pound notes, and old pound coins, to the bank to be exchanged. Whilst Andy's bank cards expired five years ago.
"It's just absolutely crazy" Andy said. "At first I was really confused as I didn't really remember the wallet as it was so long ago. Then as I looked at it a bit more I started to twig.
"I just couldn't believe it. I thought 'it can't be.' Seven years!? No one I've told can believe it either. I texted my brother straight away as he had to lend me money on the night so I could stay out and keep partying, so he remembered it, and he's gobsmacked as well.."
The package had email address on the envelope which Andy wrote to, to thank for returning it. He received a reply saying that the wallet had been 'found in an old taxi.'
The message, simply signed 'Manchester Taxi Driver' said: "7 years.....Wow. The wallet was found in an old taxi and looked untouched. I hope all the belongings are there. Get yourself to a bank to get the money updated and enjoy. All the best."
"It's mad. I just can't believe it's come back but with everything in it. Imagine how many passengers must have been in that taxi since me" Andy said. "Two girls got in it straight after me that night, I know that for a fact.
"And it appears it's been sat there wedged underneath the seat or something all this time, even by the sounds of it after this taxi came off the road. It's like Robinson Crusoe or something. A message in a bottle coming back years later. You couldn't write it."
Andy has since emailed the driver offering him some diesel to thank him for his honesty. The man, who confirmed he is still a taxi driver said: "In all honesty, I wasn't returning it for your reward, your offer of diesel just brought a massive smile to my face.
"It is the middle of the month of Ramadan which is a great month for charity any contribution you were going to make let's get it to those less fortunate."
"I've asked if he wants to meet up or to get a coffee or something" Andy said. "I just want to shake his hand and say thank you. He didn't have to do what he's done. He sent it special delivery so will have cost £8 of his own money to send me. So for it to come back with all the money really is amazing."
