Widow Dorothy Nicoll was stunned when her engagement ring, which was stolen from her home more than 30 years ago, turned up on a beach.
Metal detectorist George Taylor found it just four inches below the surface of the sand in Carnoustie, Angus.
He then turned detective, using the 1963 date and initials engraved inside the ring to track down Dorothy, 82, from Broughty Ferry near Dundee.
With help from pal Liz Neish, George managed to find records of her wedding to Andrew Nicoll that matched.
A search through Facebook led to Dorothy’s daughter Hilary, and the ring – taken in a raid at the home shared with late husband Andrew in 1987 – was returned.
Dorothy gave it to a local jeweller who replaced a stone and gave it a clean.
She said: “When Hilary told me someone had been in touch to say they had found my engagement ring, I thought, ‘It can’t be, impossible’.
“I had given up on it right after it had been stolen. But as soon as I saw it I recognised it straight away because of the engravings inside.”
Andrew died about four years ago, making the ring’s return bittersweet.
Dorothy added: “He would have loved to have seen it again.”
Detectorist George, 60, found the ring during one of his regular jaunts to comb the sands of Carnoustie beach.
The retired fire ground technician said: “For me it’s about the wonderful stories you find out about by doing this.
“I’m just happy to get the ring back to her.”
