Bristol Ferries crewman drops hundreds of pounds into harbour

We've heard of losing your hat over the side of a boat, but hundreds of pounds? Not so much.

The crew of one of Bristol's ferry boats had a very bad day when he dropped a money bag containing the day's takings into the water at Harbourside.

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However, his bad day got a lot better when police divers who were out training offered to help retrieve the loot, reports ITV News.

Philippa Bungard, from Bristol Community Ferries, told the Bristol Post: "We're not exactly sure how much is in there, it was certainly hundreds of pounds – it would have been maybe £200, as much as £300, it happened about lunchtime.

"The staff member who dropped it was extremely apologetic. It wasn't his fault though, the strap actually snapped on his money belt just as he was getting on and off the ferry at the bottom of Cascade Steps. It went into the water, and he was mortified."

Bristol Ferry shared an Facebook update about the incident, in which it revealed that divers in fact retrieved at least £460 from the water.

The new plastic £5 notes passed the waterproof test with flying colours and were still instantly useable, while the £10, £20 and old £5 notes needed a bit of air-drying.

Bristol Ferries will be donating the money to a charity of the police divers' choice. It was decided the money would be split between The Marmalade Trust and the Julian Trust, which help lonely, isolated and homeless people in Bristol.