A British holidaymaker who lost his false teeth after a drunken day out in Benidorm has been reunited with his dentures – 11 years later.
Paul Bishop, 63, received a package from Spain in the post this week containing the teeth, which had been vomited into a bin outside a pub in 2011.
“It was a drunken day out with the lads,” Mr Bishop, from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, said.
“I’d had enough lager so I got a pint of cider, but then the other lads were ready to go so I downed the last of my pint and thought ‘oh no, it’s coming back up’.”
After vomiting into the bin, he went to another bar, at which point one of his friends noticed he was missing his teeth.
Despite attempts to find them, he had to spend the rest of the holiday without gnashers, even performing as a toothless Elvis for his friend’s 50th birthday.
He spent £600 on a new set and didn’t think of them again – until a little blue envelope, addressed to Senor Paul Bishop, arrived in the post and it emerged he had been tracked down through a DNA database.
Juan Ponce de Leon: Statue of Spanish explorer toppled in Puerto Rico hours before king’s visit
Have you seen these men? UK’s 12 most-wanted fugitives who are believed to be hiding in Spain
Mafia fugitive arrested after being spotted on Google Street View in Spain
Mr Bishop now intends to put the teeth on display in the Ridge Hill Lane Working Men’s Club in Stalybridge, where he is general manager.
He said: “Someone’s definitely cleaned them up, they’re in perfect condition.
“I didn’t know I was even on a DNA database but I did a voluntary swab years ago so it must have been from that.
“From there they have got in touch with the British embassy and found my address.
“I’ve changed address three times since that holiday.
“I’m amazed they’ve taken the time to find me and post them back.”