A Glasgow couple have been reunited with a sentimental ring they lost on a Fife beach thanks to the efforts of a metal detectorist.
Isobel McNulty bought the gold band for her husband Brian to mark the couple’s diamond wedding anniversary.
But the pair thought they had lost the ring for good after returning from a visit to Aberdour’s Silver Sands beach in May last year without it.
Isobel and Brian went back to Aberdour last week in the forlorn hope that they might find the lost trinket but left empty-handed.
However, their disappointment soon turned to tears of joy after a mention of the lost ring on social media led to its return.
Daniel Mudd, 46 from Crossgates, a metal detecting enthusiast for the past six years, saw the couple’s online appeal and contacted them to say he had found it months before.
Isobel had become resigned to the ring being lost forever.
Resigned to losing ring for good
She said: “I bought the ring for my husband three years ago to celebrate our diamond wedding anniversary.
“We were childhood sweethearts who met aged 14 at school, got engaged at 17 and married at 18, so we were heartbroken that the ring had been lost back in May last year on a visit to Silver Sands.
My family thought we were mad and had no chance of finding the ring but we wanted to at least have a go.”
“We returned last week for a one-night break and, as part of the trip, I put a request on the Aberdour Facebook forum to ask if anyone could lend us a metal detector.
“My family thought we were mad and had no chance of finding the ring but we wanted to at least have a go.
“Despite our efforts, we found nothing, and were set to head home.
“But then we were contacted by Daniel who had seen our plea, and when we revealed where on the beach we had lost the ring, he immediately came back saying he thought he had already found it.”
Daniel was able to meet the couple to reunite them with the lost band.
He told The Courier: “I regularly go detecting on the beach and had found the ring just a couple of inches below the surface of the sand back in June.
“I’d even put out an appeal to try and find the owner at the time but had no luck, so had put it away with other finds.
“It was only because I saw Isobel’s call to use a metal detector that the story started to piece together.
“The ring has a cash value, but it was worth so much more to me to be able to give it back to its rightful owners, and see the look of amazement and joy on their faces.
“It was a very special moment.”
Historic find on Burntisland beach
Isobel says she is still in disbelief that the story had a happy ending.
“No one really gave us a chance so everyone, especially family members, were flabbergasted when we told them we had found it,” she said.
“It was a very emotional meeting with Daniel, and seeing that it was our ring he had found and that he had not sold it on.
“He’s a wonderful person in what is an amazing story.”
Daniel ranks the ring find alongside the discovery of a 500-year-old James V silver Bawbee coin he found on Burntisland beach three years ago as his best finds.
He added: “It’s great to be able to find the owners of the gold ring, though I think finding the original owner of the silver coin will take bit more work.”
