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?

Have you got a PE bag with a drawstring? Thread the coat hanger through the channel the string goes through, so the bag stays open. Lower it on a string so it's next to the plate & use a stick or something long to push the plate inside th bag & pull it up.

If you haven't got a PE bag, you could probably improvise with a pillowcase, though you'd need to do some sewing....

ahem when was the sink plunger idea scrapped?

I think it is very much a working plan, running concurrently with beach spades and lassie like pet rodents.

You could use the beach spades to push it into the bag

If no PE bag them a pair of XL trousers should work instead

Oh it hurts, it hurts when I laugh this much

I believe they only save baby animals, but I'm sure they would make an exception for a hand painted booble plate.

No, plunger very sensible Swedes, but I haven't got one and I HAVE to get this out tonight. Not sure why.

Dh has said he thinks he has to make a phone call, and will come back shortly.

He did say as his parting shot - that he thinks he might be able to get it into a bag and then could lift the bag - as you suggest Rusty.

But he has a phone call to make first. . . .

p.s - he broke ds2's long spade bit on the spade, he said it was too wide.

ffs! I have just added this thread to watched threads! I am supposed to bathing my dirty children!

Actually, any plate-painting enterprise with aftercare worth a damn would have a call out service for these scenarios.

Why is there a gaping void at the back of the cistern?

oh this is exciting - it is a bit like that film apollo 13.

I am not very good at things like this.

Um, put the hose down and fill it with water adn the plate will float to the top.

But you would have to tie the legs of the trousers up, imagine going to all the effort of pushing it in the waistband only to have it roll out of the leg as you pulled it up.

blardy kids, what did I miss?

I'm not being pathetic btw. I can't reach the floor with the spades or anything. DH is a 6 ft 2 with arms to match only right now he's using his long arms to hold a telephone.

lest we forget

I just posted that on the wrong thread, see how the excitement is affecting me?

How agile are your toes? I once picked up a diamond earring from the bottom of the swim pool with my toes as I didn't want to get my hair wet.

I'm getting emotionally involved now and seeing this as the rescue of a small animal with feelings and everything, rather than a bloody hand painted ex display plate!

Stop! Stop!

Can we have a brainstorming session and over-use one another's christian names. Okay onehundred, is it OK if I call you onehundred? I'm going to let a few things flow onehundred, is that OK with you Onehundred?

Bungee rope
Plastacine
bread dough
plunger
hedge shears

at inept strike out!

Your answer is here

Have you got one of those very stringy, expandable string bagss? Could you lower one down, tied to a stick, scoop under the plate and lift up? The bag would be deep enough to hold the plate I think?