A COUPLE who lost a wedding ring in a Poole skip didn’t need to call on the great fictional detective Holmes and his magnifying glass for help.

Amateur detectives at the household waste and recycling centre sprang into action and a fingertip search through a huge skip restored Les Sherlock’s precious gold ring to his finger.

The drama occurred when Les and Gill Sherlock from Beacon Hill, visited the Borough of Poole tip in Nuffield Road to dispose of garden waste. While tipping the cuttings into the skip, Les’s wedding band slipped off his finger, despite being tied on.

Recent ill health, including a heart attack and bowel cancer, for which he had surgery, saw his weight plummet from 13 stone to 9 stone 13lbs and the loss of his wedding ring on top of all this after 48 years’ marriage, left him in tears.

However staff at the site were quick to come to their aid.

Three staff cordoned off the area and sifted through the green waste in the 35 yard skip.

Searching for the equivalent of a needle in a haystack took around half-an-hour and they were able to return the ring to the thrilled couple.

“As committed Christians, when we got home my wife prayed that God would lead the men to my ring; but I was inconsolable, knowing it was impossible they could find a small ring in a huge skip about one-third full of garden waste,” said Les, 70, a piano tuner.

“When we returned to the tip and I was able to replace it on my hand, I fell completely apart, hardly being able to believe it. I will be forever grateful for the honesty, integrity and care of the men at the waste recycling centre.”

Gill, 71, said: “This is one of those heart-warming stories that people need to know about. These guys have got hearts of gold.”

‘A very happy outcome’

Ian Poultney, environmental development manager, Borough of Poole said: “Our staff at the tip are always very helpful and provide a high level of customer service. So it’s not surprising that they were moved by this incident and wanted to help the couple in any way they could, even though they knew there was a slim chance of finding the ring.

“We’re just pleased the guys did find it and there was a very happy outcome after all.”