Unreturned crutches and walking frames loaned to patients are costing a health trust a small fortune – and even being sold on at boot fairs.

Health bosses in east Kent say hundreds of the aids are handed out each year and never returned, leaving the east Kent hospitals trust £27,000 out of pocket.

An appeal has now been launched to recover the equipment, which is loaned to recovering patients to help mobility when they leave hospital.

Some walking aids are expected to be used for several months, but the majority for just a few weeks with the understanding they will be brought back when no longer needed.

Trust spokesman Steve James says many of the missing items are likely collecting dust in attics and cupboards, but there have been recent reports of some turning up at local boot fairs.

"We’re not in the blame game – so please don’t worry about returning it. We’d be just more than happy to see the equipment back so we can make good use of it"

He says the ‘crutch amnesty’ has been launched to encourage people to return the aids, no matter how long they have had them, with no repercussions.

The trust’s service development lead for therapies, Louise Coleman, said: “We’re always grateful to receive our equipment back – even if a patient believes it to be of no further use, through wear and tear.

“Anyone who does have a mobility aid such as a crutch at home is being asked to return the equipment to the physiotherapy department at their nearest hospital.

“We’re not in the blame game – so please don’t worry about returning it. We’d be just more than happy to see the equipment back so we can make good use of it.”

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, welcomed news of the appeal.

“It’s good to hear the trust is offering an amnesty, and let’s hope that those who still have this kind of equipment in east Kent respond and return it,” he said.

“The health service is under pressure to find necessary savings and the less money it spends on replacing things like crutches and frames, the more it can spend on new machinery and life-saving drugs.”