A man has found his treasured wedding ring with the help of an expert ring finder – just days after he feared it was lost forever, when it went missing on the coastal path near Studland.
Mike Simpson was out enjoying a walk with friends up to Old Harry Rocks on August Bank Holiday Monday, but while out and about, the 31 year old software tester from Parkstone lost his wedding ring. He explained:
“We were taking the coastal path that goes from the Bankes Arms pub up to Old Harry Rocks. I was with some friends who had kids.”
“I put the ring on top of my jacket”
While he was handling rocks to show one of the children, he removed his ring to keep it out of harm’s way. He said:
“I was chipping one rock with another, showing my friend’s kid something and I took the ring off so as not to damage it. I put the ring on top of my jacket – then when leaving, I just picked up the jacket forgetting about the ring.”
Once he realised what had happened, he dashed back to scour the area for any sight of his ring, but it was nowhere to be seen. He said:
“I realised about an hour afterwards, when we were going back to the pub. I went back with one of the others.”
Richard Higham (on the left) who found the wedding ring with his metal detector and Mike Simpson (on the right) who was very happy to get his ring back
He appealed for help on Facebook
Despite searching the area for some 40 minutes, he was unable to recover the ring, so that’s when he appealed for help on a couple of Swanage Facebook groups. He posted:
“I lost my wedding ring on the coastal path leading up to Old Harry Rocks from the Bankes Arms, on Monday at around 3 pm.
“It was where the path opens up and there is a big grassy field with hedges on either side. Went back to look but no luck, I’m fairly sure it was picked up. It is a plain gold wedding band with two grooves running along the edges.”
He added that there was not much monetary value but a lot of sentimental value.
The group recommended that he contact a local man, who is well-known as an expert at finding lost rings.
Richard Higham from TheRingfinders.com, who finds lost jewellery in return for a donation to Margaret Green Animal Rescue Centres, was called to help with a subsequent search.
Using a metal detector to sweep the area
They set out to look for it on the morning of Sunday 6th September 2020 and using a metal detector to sweep the area, the ring was quickly found hidden in a grassy patch. Richard Higham said:
“It took about 15 minutes. He had a rough idea of the area. He was really happy. Like most people, he didn’t quite believe it was possible from the beginning, or likely that we could even find it.”
“It’s special!”
Mike Simpson said he was delighted and relieved to have the ring returned – a ring that had been with him since his wedding two years ago. He said:
“I could easily have replaced it, but there is nothing quite like having the one which took part in our ceremony. It’s special!”
