I was left gobsmacked when I discovered my late dad’s prosthetic limb on a beach

A FAMILY thought someone was pulling their leg when they discovered their late father’s prosthetic limb had washed up on a beach.

Daniel Harris, 42, was gobsmacked when he saw a Facebook appeal asking why the false leg had appeared on the sand — as he believed it belonged to his dad.

The building manager had put it in the sea along with the ashes of Michael in December after he died aged 66 of lung cancer.

Michael, who served in the merchant navy, had lost his leg due to medical complications and had requested his fake limb be set adrift with his ashes. 

He had hoped it would end up “somewhere exotic” — but instead it washed up 40 miles down the beach at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, after being cast into the waters in Lydney Docks, Gloucs.

It was discovered by Ian Lancaster and his family during a shore walk.

The limb had a plastic bottle attached containing a message asking the person who found it to “set me off to sail again” and an email address.

At first the Lancasters were convinced it was a body part. Designer Ian, 54, said: “We’ve been watching a lot of crime dramas and thought about calling the police.

“But we looked closer and saw it was a false leg. I put it on Facebook and it’s all worked out.”

Daniel, 42, said: “It was lovely. Although it was only 40 miles away, Dad was born and bred around there, so it’s good.

"Dad would love this. He’d find it hilarious. He had quite a wicked sense of humour.

“I’m happy it’s back on its way.”