Barman hid takings in hot oven

Luke Woolston felt the heat from his boss after he hid £1,000 of takings in a hot oven — and they went up in smoke.

Trusting Martin Talbot asked barman Luke, 19, to cash up at his pub then put the money in a “safe” place.

But he was horrified when Luke texted to say he had shoved the full till drawer in the switched-on cooker — and then smelt burning.



Martin, 36, said: “He’s usually a sensible lad so I trusted him to cash up and conceal the takings away from prying eyes. I thought he was joking when he said he’d stuck the money in the oven.

“But when I got to the kitchen and smelt the burning, I realised he was being serious. I pulled out the plastic till drawer using oven gloves and stared at £1,000 of badly burnt notes. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.”

The Bank of England has told him some notes may still be useable if their serial numbers are legible. His laughing insurers also said he may get some cash back.

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