Ruby ring lost in Diss returned after social media appeal

A lost ruby ring has been returned to its 98-year-old owner after a Rickinghall man put out an appeal on social media for its return.

Many may have thought the precious item was gone forever after it went missing in Diss town centre.

But its owner’s son, John Stratford, decided to ask people on Facebook to help him find it.

He said: “Mum lost the ring in the town on November 19 after we had a cup of coffee together.

“Once we realised it was lost, I started to retrace our steps, looking down at the pavement all the way back, to try to find it.

“All the shops I went into again were all very helpful, too, but we just couldn’t find it anywhere,” said John.

“So I thought the only other way we might get it back was by going through social media.”

The ring had been given to Winifred, 98, by her late husband, Edward, to celebrate their ruby wedding.

John said his mum was incredibly upset about the loss due to its huge sentimental value.

But help was at hand when he received a reply back to his appeal from someone who said they had found a ring similar to the missing piece of jewellery.

He said: “A wonderful gentleman messaged me, saying he had found the ring and asked us to describe it for him. But my mum could not remember how many stones it had on it, even when he sent a picture.

“So we went down to see it and it was hers.

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“Mum is absolutely overwhelmed. She thought it was lost and was so upset that it could just be left laying on the street. We can’t thank him enough and just cannot believe it.”