After a (very early for me) 6am start I boarded the 07:58 train from Market Harborough to London St Pancras in the quest to get to a photographic shoot at the Malcolm Ryan Studios in Wimbledon. I was in London with the Highcross Leicester and RBH Team working alongside the fabulous photography duo Martin Brent and Matt Wilson & co. I am still fairly new to the inner workings of the London Transport system and so it was a case of nervously navigating my way from one station to another with a little help from the Travel Delux iphone App and Google Maps.

So, anyway, after all this hair, make-up, 30’ C weather, a sighting of Father Christmas and a snow machine, my head was EVERYWHERE except where it should have been.

I was pretty exhausted after a very very busy day running around the photography studio,  taking some behind-the-scenes photos for my Lucie Loves… Highcross blog, and then -after a spot of hair and makeup - having a go modelling infront of the camera myself to promote LBD2012 - Leicester’s Best Dressed Competition which will be heading to Summer Sundae Festival this year papping stylishly dressed peeps!

I celebrated a great day’s work by having a delicious glass of Prosecco with Abigail White from the Highcross Marketing team and then boarded my train. The 18:25 Sheffield bound train at London St Pancras heading back home to Market Harborough. 

I popped my suitcase on the highest shelf of the luggage rack so as not to take up space on the lower ones for customers with really heavy bags. I was delighted at the fact that I’d secured myself a table seat on an otherwise pretty rammed London commuter train, and proceeded to pass the next hour reading a bit of my book and scanning articles in The Metro. Relaxing, as you do.

Then, an hour later, as the train was pulling into Market Harborough, people started to queue to get off the train - in advance of it stopping - and me, getting all panicky as not to miss my stop, followed suit and joined the lined of passengers waiting to alight the train. 

My feet and head were aching from standing up all day and walking around a very hot and sweaty London and so I decided to treat myself to a cab home. I chatted amicably with the taxi driver who I recognised from previous pick-ups and then disaster struck…

It dawned on me…

ERROR

“Oh shit! I’ve not got my suitcase. I’ve left it on the train!!!!” I exclaimed, in a panic.

The taxi driver told me to call the Lost Property people at East Midlands Trains as soon as I got in, and so I did… but their offices had closed. I filled out an online Lost Property form and then left them a couple of voicemails. I frantically tried to think of who else to call and googled various National Rail and East Midlands Trains websites to find out where the train was headed.

I called my Mum. Who else to call in a situation like this? I might be 26, but I still rely on my family in a crisis and they were amazing!

My mum immediately googled: “I’ve lost my case what should I do?" 

She then contacted the British Transport Police.

The BTP, it seems, are an efficient bunch and worked quickly to try and track down members of their team that might be stationed at one of the stops along my errant case’s route. As my case travelled further and further north, the BTP made plans to try and intercept it. Eventually, the BTP got on the train (the one that I’d previously been on) and scoured the carriages and luggage racks for any items of Lost Property. My mum gave them both my own telephone number and hers and we waited to hear from them.

No joy.

They’d checked the whole train and couldn’t find my little black case anywhere.

*Groan*

So… I took to Twitter with my woeful story.

and was AMAZED at the kindness and helpfulness displayed by the Twitter Community. Altruism at it’s very best!

Over the past 16 hours my tweet: 

"PLEASE RT. I left my small black suitcase on the 18:25 from London St Pancras headed in direction of Sheffield. Please help!? #cameras”

was retweeted 976 times!!!!!

I was absolutely astounded by the power of Twitter. Social Media for good!

I couldn’t have been more grateful for people getting on board to try and help my seemingly “lost” cause or case as it was.

I went to sleep finally, after a good cry, feeling terribly disappointed and angry with myself. I’d only just paid the camera off and was gutted at losing it. I’d tried to thank as many of the kind people on Twitter who’d jumped on the ‘lost  my case at St Pancras’ bandwagon and then as I was closing down my applications for the night, I returned to my Mac Desktop screen and was confronted by this sight.

A stunning image of pink poppies. 

Yes, they are pretty… but why is this important you may be thinking?? 

Well… my Nan’s Mum who passed away some years ago now, always told her that whenever she saw poppies you’d know she was thinking of us.

I saw these and burst into tears. I was about to send a photo of my screen to my mum and when I looked at my phone she’d already sent me this text:

So, with my Great-Nan in mind, I went to sleep and woke up thinking that my lost case had been just a bad dream. Nope.

I tried to telephone East Midlands Lost Property Team again, within office hours, and left them another voicemail and then tweeted them to say I hadn’t been able to get in touch. The EM Trains team sent me a message asking me to 'Direct Message’ them my mobile number so that they could chase things up for me. I did as they asked and they called me back within minutes.

I spoke to a lovely lady called Harriet on the phone who explained that she would try and contact all of the relevant station staff members on that route and members of the train crew who had been working on that train. Harriet explained that she would call me back as soon as she had found anything out.

I waited and waited and felt sick to my stomach. It’s an awful feeling losing something that you’ve worked so hard to buy. But then again, despite being one of the 'tools of my trade’, a couple of cameras, lenses, a leather jacket, some denim shorts and some underwear ARE just material things at the end of the day and can be replaced. I’d just have to accept that.

My colleagues husband said something the other day (when I’d had my iPhone stolen - yes, it’s been a bad month for me…) that couldn’t have put it better: people should be defined by what they can live without rather than what they can live with… or something along those lines… very true.

So, as I slowly began to accept the loss of my belongings, and face up to the fact that I’d have to tell my insurance company what had happened :-S I sat and moped about in a bit of a slump.

But then!!!

12:25 my phone starts ringing!!!

I answer it, not recognising the telephone number on the caller ID, and a man introduces himself. His name was Shane and he worked for EM Trains.

He asked a few questions about my lost property, which I answered, and then he told me the good news!! 

MY CASE HAD BEEN FOUND!!!

It had somehow ended up in Leeds! What a journey eh?

I wave of relief washed over me and I felt the weight physically lift from my shoulders.

I thanked him and his team profusely and explained that I was dumbfounded that it had actually turned up! I have never been so grateful in my entire life! 

Thank you everyone who has played a part in this small miracle!

It truly has shown to me that if you are a good, kind, hard-working honest person, you will get from life exactly what you put in.

Manners cost nothing at the end of the day, a polite “Please” and a heartfelt “Thank you” go a long way.

My wonderful mum drove all the way to Leeds to be reunited with my suitcase this evening! I bet it feels like a celebrity having it’s photo taken! haha! (I am a 3 hour train journey away so couldn’t go and get it.) THANKS MUM!!!!

The chap at Neville Hill said they get at least 3 suitcases a DAY left on trains and he also said you wouldn’t believe the number of crutches that are left on trains!? It’s as if people get on the train with an injury and walk off cured!! Crazy!

Now… I’m not a religiously person in the slightest but I think I now believe in Guardian Angels. :-)