Wedding ring lost by husband found on Dorset beach

A husband who lost his platinum wedding ring in 2015 can finally breathe a sigh of relief thanks to workmen replacing groynes on the Dorset coast.

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) appealed on Monday to find the owner of the ring in an online post liked more than 50,000 times.

It was seen by Jo Francis, from Suffolk, who recognised it as the ring her husband Alex lost in Christchurch.

She said they were both "quite emotional" at it being found.

BCP Council posted an image of the ring after it was found among timber groynes which were being replaced at the end of their 25-year lifespan as part of a £1.9m coastal defence programme.

Mrs Francis said she was able to identify the ring from its inscription of the word "forever".

The couple, who married in 2004, live near Sudbury but were regular visitors to Christchurch. They said they were "gutted" when Mr Francis lost the ring during a half-term trip in October 2015.

They thought it had been lost on the beach and had looked for it at the time, but had given up hope it would ever be found.

Mrs Francis said: "Finding out it was ours felt incredible. We had a big hug and just kept laughing to ourselves saying 'we couldn't believe it' and how grateful we were for everyone's efforts to reunite us with something that has such sentimental value for us both.

"We've been married 16 years and planned to wear our matching rings forever. We are both quite emotional now that Alex will be able to wear his again."

Julian Wyatt, of contractors Suttle Projects, spotted the ring and said he was "over the moon" that the owners had been found.

"It's a happy ending, albeit five years in the waiting," he added.

"The odds were against us definitely, so the outcome is even more pleasing."

The council is arranging for the ring to be returned to the couple.