Bizarre items handed into shops include false teeth and prosthetic limbs

Barnardo's has revealed a list of bizarre items left by donors at some of its 620 UK stores in an appeal for people to bestow their unwanted Christmas gifts.

False teeth, a scorpion in formaldehyde and a lamb castrating tool were among the strangest items donated.

 The teeth were found inside a handbag donated to the charity's Glasgow store.

The bottled scorpion has since been given to a local university in Scotland after shop workers in St Andrews were given the preserved arachnid.

A London store was given a set of four portraits of historical figures in matching frames - depicting Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong, Vlad the Impaler - otherwise known as Dracula - and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Staff in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, were amused by a message accompanying a pair of men's shorts, which read: "Wear these at your leisure, wear with pride and pleasure, and keep them safe to treasure. Geoff. X."

Is not the first time Barnardo's has been handed unusual cast-offs.

Previous quirky deliveries have included a dead bird in Glasgow and a hamster cage still containing its deceased former occupant in Warrington, Cheshire.

Roy Clark, managing director of Barnardo's Trading Companies, said: "Most of us have received Christmas presents that may be of good quality and cost a fair bit - but are just not suitable for ourselves."