Mother, 59, is reunited with her lost 9-carat gold ring as it’s found in a sewer 15 years after it slipped off her finger when she filled up her car with petrol
- Sarah Warfield’s grandmother’s wedding ring was found in a drain line in Powys
- The mother, 59, was reunited when sewage cleaner posted appeal on Facebook
- She says she ‘welled up in tears’ when she saw the ring 15 years after it was lost
A mother who lost a 9-carat gold ring when it slipped off her finger as she filled up her car with petrol has been reunited with it 15 years later.
Sarah Warfield was amazed when her grandmother’s long-lost wedding ring was discovered by drainmen flushing out the sewer next to a garage in Crickhowell, Powys.
The 59-year-old retired police officer was reunited with the sentimental heirloom when a sewage cleaner posted an appeal for its owner on social media.
Mrs Warfield, who was in the force for 30 years, says she ‘welled up in tears’ when she saw the inherited the ring more than a decade after it was lost.
Sarah Warfield was amazed when her grandmother’s long-lost wedding ring was discovered by drainmen flushing out the sewer next to a garage in Crickhowell, Powys
She said: ‘I went to the garage in the morning to fuel the car up. It was cold that morning and I didn’t always wear it, but I had worn it that morning.
‘I’d got some petrol or some diesel on my hand so I shook it and wiped it with paper towels.
‘I didn’t notice it was gone until later – I rang the garage but they couldn’t locate it. They had emptied out the bins onto the floor but they just couldn’t find the ring.
‘It was cold so I think my hands contracted so it must have slipped off.’
The H. Samuel gold ring, which was made in Birmingham in 1948 according to its hallmark, was a family heirloom belonging to Mrs Warfield’s grandmother (pictured)
The 59-year-old retired police officer was reunited with the sentimental item of jewellery when the sewage cleaner posted an appeal for its owner on social media
The H. Samuel gold ring, which was made in Birmingham in 1948 according to its hallmark, was a family heirloom belonging to Mrs Warfield’s grandmother.
‘I never thought I’d find it. It’s been on my mind all these years on and off,’ she added.
Sewer cleaner Ben Simpson, 32, found the ring with colleague Terry Callow, 28, as the pair were cleaning 250 metres of the sewer line using high pressure jets.
Mr Simpson posted an appeal for the owner of the lost ring on a local Facebook group – and fortunately Mrs Warfield’s husband spotted it
Mr Simpson posted an appeal for the owner of the lost ring on a local Facebook group – and fortunately Mrs Warfield’s husband spotted it.
She said: ‘Ben posted about it on Facebook after they’d scraped the sewer out and emptied it.
‘My husband saw it and said: “Have you seen this?”, because he knows about the ring. My tummy turned over.
‘I was so overwhelmed. I contacted him and he came to the house with it, and my tears welled up when I saw it. I only knew my nan for two years but it’s so sentimental to me, it’s just crazy.’
Mrs Warfield, who was in the force for 30 years, says she ‘welled up in tears’ when she saw the inherited the ring more than a decade after it was lost
‘It fits exactly as the wedding band used to and it’s the same size as the engagement ring. Now I have it in a little box.’
‘I’m just waiting to get it cleaned up a bit now. I’m just so, so grateful for Ben – we need more people like him in the world.’
Sewage cleaner Mr Simpson said he decided to search for the owner of the jewellery in case it was a wedding ring.
He: ‘I found the ring, and I was pretty sure it was lady’s gold ring because of the size but I’ve never found a ring before.
‘I researched how to read hallmarks and I worked out that it was a H Samuel from Birmingham that was made in 1948.
‘At the time, I put it to one side and afterwards I realised I’d found someone’s wedding ring.
‘I feel a lot better that I’ve given it to someone who it may belong to.
‘I knew the sentimental value would be massive. I know my gran lost hers and she was distraught, so I like to think I’ve helped.’