RING-CREDIBLE!

Kind-hearted stranger reunites widow widower with his precious ring af after hunt on Welsh beach

Alan Hall enlisted the help of metal detectorist Paul Gardner to help him find his late wife’s wedding ring, which he lost on Llandudno beach

AWIDOWER left heartbroken when he lost his late wife’s wedding ring on a beach was reunited with it thanks to a kind-hearted stranger.

Alan Hall, 69, who had worn the ring on his little finger every single day since her death in September of last year, realised the jewellery had gone after a fishing trip last Sunday, near the Little Orme.

After frantically searching for it on Llandudno beach as the tide came in, he gave up fearing it was lost forever.

“I was devastated. There were tears and all sorts”, he said. “I was sat on the beach in Llandudno, I looked down at my hand and it wasn’t there and I didn’t know how long it had been missing.”

Desperate, Mr Hall, who had been married for 48 years, decided to enlist the help of metal detectorist Paul Gardner when he returned home to Mossley in Manchester.

Mr Gardner, who has been metal detecting for 18 months, and lives in Chadderton near Manchester, said: “I got an email from Alan. I didn’t know him but he was asking for a bit of advice about metal detectors.

“I work nights so I booked the next night off work and he picked me up after work, on the Tuesday morning at about 6.15am. We drove to Llandudno from Manchester, got there about 8am and I started right away.

“It came to about 12pm and his ring hadn’t popped up. I was even going in the sea with my boots on.

“About 1.45pm I got a signal so I dug it and lo and behold it was Alan’s late wife’s wedding ring. About 10 minutes before I’d found it he was just stood there motionless staring at the sea and I was filling up because he looked absolutely heartbroken. But we were both absolutely chuffed to bits.”

Mr Gardner, who works as a quality and safety officer for a manufacturing company, said his phone has been ringing off the hook since people found out about his good deed.

He added: “Alan asked if he could treat me, but I said he didn’t have to and I’d just rather get home. I just went to the off licence, got 10 cans of lager, supped them and just got pleasantly drunk in my house. I work nights and the phone’s not stopped ringing, so I’m a bit tired but I’m pleased with it.

“I got a lovely message on Facebook from Alan’s daughter as well.”

Mr Hall said he can’t thank Mr Gardner enough for his help and it seems like he’s made a new friend in the process. He’s also decided to stop wearing the ring on his finger to avoid repeat incidents.

He said: “I’m extremely grateful, I can’t thank him enough.

“I actually spoke to him earlier today and he’s just a really nice chap.

“I’ve put it [the ring] somewhere safe. I can’t go through that again, it was a nightmare.”