Sheffield skip diver shares treasures found in trash - from Amazon tablets to power drills to 60 hi-vis vests

A Mac Allister drill, a working Amazon tablet, a Nicaraguan cigar box - and more than 200 bicycle decorations made from bottle caps.

All this and more was lying in wait until it was fished out of a single skip by one Sheffield treasure hunter.

Self-professed skip diver Charlie Croome, from Meersbrook, says as far as hobbies go it “makes you wonder how anyone could throw some things out.”

The 20-year-old is sharing the haul they found outside Meersbrook Park Hall to highlight how much is thrown away but can still be put to good use in the right hands.

Already, Charlie has found a buyer for the 60 hi-vis vests they scooped out, while they are also now the proud owner of a fully functional Amazon tablet - which still had its previous owner’s card details saved on it.

“I was able to contact the former owner to ask if they wanted it,” said Charlie.

“When they said no I let them know I had wiped the memory.

“I’m in a group chat to do with things like bike polo in Sheffield - which is polo but on bicycles - and a friend last week (September 24) said ‘there’s loads of bike stuff free outside Meersbrook Park Hall.

“I couldn’t take it all in one trip.”

The entire haul includes a pop up table, a Master Plug reel-type extension lead, a Mac Allister corded drill, the Amazon tablet, 60 hi-vis vests, tote bags, four wads of post-it notes, a blank notebook, lanyard cords, a ‘Dennis the Menace’ style slingshot, a Joya de Nicaragua cigar box, a hot glue gun, a spirit level, a full box of googly eyes, two broken card machines, a camping mallet, bungee cords, and a bicycle pannier.

There was also a box of over 200 decorative bicycle charms made out of Kenyan bottlecaps and wire. Charlie says they are untangling them to make Christmas decorations for friends.

Charlie said: “It’s been a while since I had a skip as good as this with plenty of stuff.

“The best I’ve ever had was one recently. I went to a skip in Nether Edge filled with old skateboard decks - I was able to cable-tie one to the back of my bike as a rack.

“There was also various pieces for a bicycle like a single-speed chain. A friend and I might use it in a custom bicycle we’re building.”

Charlie says there is no sixth sense for where to find good skips, but certain times of year - such as when students move out - can be gold mines.

Even though it would directly mean less stuff for them to find, Charlie wants everyone to ask themselves if the things they throw out could go to charity instead of the bin.

The Star understands the skip outside Meersbrook Park Hall on September 24 was ordered by Sheffield theatre group The Handlebards, who produce stage shows with many members of the cast on bicycles.

They are moving out of the hall along with Heeley Development Trust, a wide reaching charity with locations and projects across the city.

The Handlebards could not be reached for comment, but a member of the Trust told The Star many more items from their move out were donated to charity, with items generally going in the skip if they could not be donated for reasons such as not having valid fire certificates.