‘It’s a miracle’: Hope ring lost on beach  returned to owner thanks to skills of metal detector

However, Retford mum Liz Thornton says she can never thank a metal detector enough for scouring Anderby Creek beach and returning it to her.

Liz, her partner Mike Davies and daughters Freya, 9. and Olivia, 3, had been on a trip to the coast when she made the devastating discovery that she had lost it.

Although holding a spiritual meaning of hope for some, the feather ring – a design by Thomas Sabo – was a treasured gift from her partner.

"When we got to the beach I took it off and put it in my pocket while I put sun cream on my daughters,” recalled Liz. “Cream gets in the creases of the feather so I wanted to avoid that.

"I didn’t give the ring another thought until later when I was home – but when I reached into my pocket it was gone.

"I couldn’t believe it. It is so precious because it was a Christmas gift from my partner five or six years ago.

"All I knew was I needed to get it back.

"I knew it was a long shot by I put out a plea on social media sites in case anyone on the beach that day had found it.”

Luckily for her metal detector Don Graves of Mablethorpe spotted the post when it was shared on a local site.

Don is a member of the newly formed Chapel Metal Detecting Club and arranged to go out with another member to see if they could find it.

"I got in touch with Liz and she was able to send me a pic of her partner siting on the beach so from the horizon I was able to work out the area where they were.

"She said they had gone up a couple of side tracks so I tried there too.

"I got a signal but when I looked it was a £1 coin. Then I got a big beep, uncovered the item and there it was looking up at me.

"I screamed out ‘I’ve found it’ – I really couldn’t believe it.”

Although the club, with about 10 members, has not been formed long enough to have made many discoveries, this one has already made pole position.

"When I lived in Essex I once found a Celtic Quarter Slater Coin from 45BC in Wickford, but untiil this I hadn’t done anything fore 30 years,” he said. “I’m so happy to be able to return the ring to its owner.”

Don arranged to meet Liz at Lincoln Railway Station, closer for her than coming back to the coast, on Sunday when he went to pick up his wife from a trip.

"I can’t believe I have it back,” said Liz. “Don is such a lovely man to have done this for me and I want him to know I said it.

"I’m never wearing the ring on trips to the seaside again!.”