A new survey from holiday letting company Owners Direct has highlighted how helpful, if not forgetful we are when leaving our holiday villas to return home - with one very eco-aware guest even replacing holiday cottage light bulbs to low energy ones before heading home.

Cash, Passports, travel documents, credit cards and even the car keys are just some of the vital items left behind at holiday homes, according to a survey carried out by the vacation specialists.

When it comes to packing up your belongings it seems that many people are still so much in holiday mode - they forget even the most important items.

An amazing number of property owners who advertise with Owners Direct report holiday makers leaving behind the essential items needed to get them home –namely passports, travel documents, car and house keys and money.

Some people even leave wads of cash stashed under the bed – and then forget about it. And a few have walked out without their luggage!  Even vital medicines are regularly left behind.

One Owners Direct property owner, who lets out an apartment in Mallorca said: “One of our guests left behind a ladies handbag with ALL their travel documents in, money and prescription medicines. They missed their flight as they had to return to collect it. Perhaps it was a subconscious way of extending their holiday!”

Bizarre items left behind in holiday accommodation throughout the world include a pair of Father Christmas trousers and a beard, a set of house deeds, a false leg, a bongo drum and a full sized rubber face mask of George Bush. There are also a surprising number of abandoned false teeth and toupees.

Marital aids, contraception and risque underwear are also left in the holiday accommodation on a very regular basis. The apartment owner from Barcelona who greeted George Bush explained: “The full head mask was fitted onto the end of a bolster cushion which had been propped up to look like a person. There was a speech bubble pinned to his chest and a written message from “Mr Bush” himself. This was left by a couple of traditionally republican voters who voted democrat for the first time when George Bush was finally voted out. It struck me that the apartment was an unlikely forum for political comment.”

Unwanted consumables include sun cream, perfumes, food and enough booze to stock a small bar.

Angela Southall, Marketing Manager for Owners Direct, which specialises in putting holidaymakers directly in touch with property owners worldwide says: “We were surprised just how many essential items are left behind by holiday guests, but the survey also highlighted how considerate and helpful our property owners are. They all reported doing their best to return items they had found. One of our advertisers of a gite in Normandy recalls carefully packaging up a very precious bear who got left behind with a little French flag from his extra holiday.”