Charity shop staff find almost $9000 tucked inside donated sock

Volunteers at a UK charity store were stunned to discover £5000 - almost $AU9000 - rolled up inside a donated sock.

Pam Green and Ann Speyer were sorting through a pile of donated clothing at the St Margaret’s Hospice shop in Somerset when they found the wad of cash, comprised of £10 and £20 notes.

Worried that the owner of the sock had donated it without realising the money was inside, they contacted police, who then issued an appeal to find locals who had donated clothing in the past month.

However, none of the more than 20 people who came forward could be matched to the sock.

The sock was a one-of-a-kind donation. (Getty Images)

As a result, police allowed St Margaret’s Hospice to keep the money.

The unexpected windfall will be used to finance 10 days of care for a patient in one of the charity’s in-patient units.

Speaking to Somerset Live, Police Commander Paul Thomas described it as “a wonderful result.”

Listen: Simple tips to ease your Christmas anxiety.

Store manager Tracy Sherwood admitted the cash discovery came as quite a shock.

“We have had some unusual donations, such as handcuffs and the casing of a bomb shell, but never anything like this,” she told the website.

“When Pam and Ann came across the money, they said I’d never believe what they had found. They told me to close my eyes and hold my hand out.”