Gold ring lost in bottle bank found by re3

FORGET five gold rings, the only one that matters for a Wokingham borough resident was recovered from a bottle bank in a Christmas miracle.

Patrick lost his gold ring, which had sentimental value, when recycling his glass following a community Christmas event in the village.

He contacted re3, who then conducted a special search to locate it. The needle in the haystack had nothing on this...

The team were successful and reunited Patrick with his jewellery.

He said: “I am lost for words and ever so grateful to all staff who took part in the search. I felt devastated when I dropped my ring, which I received on my 18th birthday in 1979.

“I am so pleased to have it back and its sentimental value and story associated with this ring has just got a new angle now which I can retell everyone.”

And the found treasure also delighted Cllr Ian Shenton, Wokingham Borough Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Leisure.

“We are thrilled to share this heart-warming story of the dedication of our recycling centre staff,” he said.

“Seeing the ring being returned to its owner certainly sparked joy and the holiday spirit for all involved.

“This serves as a reminder that even in the most unexpected or unfortunate situation, the spirit of the season prevails.”

re3 said that this might be the season to be jolly, but it is also a peak season for glass bottle recycling.

If a bottle bank is full, bottles should not be left next to the collection bins as they can cause a hazard, especially if the glass breaks.

■ To find the nearest bottle bank, re3 has published a map on its website, https://bit.ly/re3banks