A plate has fallen down the back of the loo - how can I get it out?

[ahundredtimes]

And not just any plate - this is a plate painted by ME for dd's hair bands! I did it when she was painting a mug for dh- the man was so impressed he put it in the window. [preen]

It's annoying.

Now the cistern of the loo is built into a tongue and groove type wall affair, and can only be accessed from the top. The plate has fallen down, below the cistern, onto the floor below.

I can't reach it, nobody can reach it.

Any ideas?

This is a plate down the back of the loo. It is SERIOUS people.

It is a hair bobble plate too

I have no idea, bu I AM NOW TRYINMG TO PAINT A MENTAL PICTURE OF YOUR LOO, YOUR PLATE AND YOUR DH'S MUG. [HSMILE]

Oh sorry

i really can't visualise this either but presumably there is a plate sized slit at the back of the loo so do you have any long barbeque tongs you could fish down there with? or something involving a wire coathanger?

or one of those things the COmmunity Service people use for litter picking?

The mug is so-so frankly, dd thinks it is a masterpiece. I have pointed out to her that MY PLATE made it to the front window, when her mug did not. [joke]

So you have like the loo seat jutting out of the wall you see, and behind it is the cistern, built into a tongue and groove wall. You have to remove a wood panel in the window ledge to get into the cistern.

Then down, down, down is the floor and the hair bobble plate.

I just saw a thread about a machine with pincer fingers sort of thing. I don't think it'd hold a plate though.

No I need a picture, on profile please.

Wire coat hanger won't work, because you won't get a purchase on it.

I need to pick it up, and pull it up to the top.

Does this make any sense?

Barbeque tongs will be too short I think. But thank you for the thought.

I could just rip all the wood work away couldn't I? I could destroy the downstairs loo, but emerge triumphant with wood chip in my hair and holding the hair bobble plate.

Okay, hang on. I'll see if I can take one.

You need one of these!!.

I think the hair bobble story is a cover up. You were trying to eat dinner and have a poo at the same time weren't you?

I have no decent advice based on it being a hair bobble plate.

I am more interested on whether the PLATE was proudly displayed or the CUP?

Do you have any old dears nearby who might possess one?

Message withdrawn

could you dangle a small child down there perhaps?

Ah cross posts - the issue has been clarified.

I would go with the wood ripping tbh

I have taken a photo - is it on my profile?

I can't think what I can use to get a grip [as it were]

Do you think those Help the Aged prongs will do it? Do they have a good grip? It keeps going on about keys, I don't want keys I WANT MY HAND PAINTED HAIR BOBBLE PLATE BACK.

Use a vacuum cleaner hose?

so where is it??

Right.

So you see the blue bottle of Duck cleaner at the top? That was specially positioned by me to show where the panel you remove is. That is our entrance.

Then it's down there, behind the white tongue and groove wall, on the floor, behind the wainscoating.

How heavy is it?

no idea, your going to have to destroy your (vey nice by the way) bathroom with a sledgehammer.

Kudos on the impromptu Toilet Duck placement.

How the FECK did the plate get down there? Is it broken?

Oh quite heavy.

I chose quite a large plate to paint.

It's got an edge that goes up though - to catch small escaping hair bobbles - so prongs would have something to hold on to, but I can't believe they could hold a plate?

Or a platter. [gets above oneself]

Is the plate in an erect or recumbent posture?

The grabby prongs for the elderly do come with rubberised pincer ends, however this is all null and void if the plate is lying down. Then you will need a sucker, with added suction tube with which to create a vacuum.