Following the discovery of a briefcase containing dead pigeons and a pair of boots abandoned beside a baggage carrousel at Gatwick Airport, the UK Border Agency has decided to compile a list of the weirdest things it has ever found. The birds were discovered by one of the airport’s baggage handlers on 9 August.

There were no identifying tags to suggest where the brief case had originated from and airport staff are guessing that, because a number of the birds had been plucked, the creatures were on their way to a restaurant. Nobody, as of yet, has come forward to claim the birds – or the boots.

Another odd discovery by border officials was an animal skin in a passenger’s luggage which had stripes on it. Officials assumed that it must be from an exotic mammal, however when it was analysed it turned out to be a dog skin disguised as a tiger skin.

One passenger was discovered by officials attempting to smuggle rare parrot’s eggs in an especially adapted vest. The eggs were confiscated and placed into incubators. The parrots which survived can now be seen in zoos across the country.

A number of passengers have been caught trying to smuggle snakes. One man was caught with a python wrapped around his leg. A gaboon viper and a puff adder, two very deadly snakes, were discovered in a package being sent to the UK from Tanzania. One man travelling from Shanghai was found to be carrying a number dried seahorses after a sniffer dog raised the alarm.