A PADDLEBOARDER who lost her phone at sea found it when it washed ashore more than a year later — and it was in full working order.
Clare Atfield was 39 years old when she dropped her Apple iPhone 8+ in a waterproof bag while riding her bike in August 2013.
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Bradley Cotton, dog walker found the animal on a beach nearby.
The case contained a medical card which had Clare’s mother’s details on so the dog walker was able to track down Clare and return her handset.
Council official Clare, of Havant, Hants, said: “It’s crazy that it still worked but it works perfectly.
“It had not actually travelled that far, strangely.
“I started paddleboarding in April 2021 and always kept my phone around my neck.
“I fell from my paddleboard after I had paddled quite far out at sea.
“I got back on and kept going — but then realised I had lost my phone.
“It was quite far out to sea but it was inside one of those phone protection cases so it must have sunk and just stayed there.”
Clare, single mother-of-two, was stunned when Bradley, a Southsea worker in a telephone shop, informed her that he found the phone.
She said: “I never expected to see it again. I can’t believe it still works.
“The back of the car is completely broken, and you’d have believed water would have gotten in.
“I’m stunned more damage wasn’t caused to it, especially how rough the sea can get down there.”