Gem of a stranger got my ring back
A WOMAN has been reunited with her treasured ring which was found in a muddy field three months after it was swept away by floodwater. Frankie Greenwood, 30, was devastated when the piece of jewellery – a 16th birthday gift from her mum – was lost during February’s storms.
She had been in her car when the river Teme burst its banks in Tenbury Wells,Worcs, submerging her vehicle. Pub manager Frankie managed to scramble free unharmed but the precious white gold ring came loose and was carried away. She launched an appeal on social media to track down the ring, which has an engraved message from mum Peta. But she feared it had been lost forever. Metal detectorist Robin Preece, 53, got in touch with Frankie on Facebook and offered to lend a hand with his equipment. She was stunned when, after three days of searching, Robin discovered the ring stuck in mud at the field where she had abandoned her car.
Frankie, who runs the Wellington Inn in Ledbury, Herefordshire, said: “I always had the indent in my finger and was really aware it wasn’t there.
“I wanted to do all I could to find it but it was just a needle in the haystack – a million-to-one chance it would ever be found.
“It was an indescribable surge of emotions when it was discovered again. I was hysterically crying, shaking or laughing. I was gobsmacked.
“I don’t think I could have lived with myself knowing that I hadn’t bothered looking.
“Even if this came to nothing, and it was never found, at least we could all say we tried our best. I still can’t believe my luck.”
Machine operator Robin, who also found a radio belonging to the fire services and even one of Frankie’s shoes in the search, said: “She was ecstatic.”
He added: “I was delighted she got it back because it clearly means so much to her.”