Diamond ring lost in the sea at Sandbanks is found

Sarah Abell's mother Louise lost the priceless jewel while swimming in the sea off Sandbanks.

It sank to the sea floor and although the 83-year-old could see it she was unable to dive 5ft down to reach it due to her age.

Sarah contacted Swanage metal detectorist Richard Higham for help and he spent two weeks visiting the beach in search of the gold and diamond encrusted ring.

He wore a snorkel and goggles and used his waterproof machine to comb a tennis court-size area of the seabed.

He dug over 100 holes in the seabed before he finally found it buried under the sand at low tide.

In a heartwarming moment caught on camera, Richard revealed his find to Sarah and Louise, who was gifted the engagement ring by her late husband Richard in 1969.

Sarah, 52, from Bristol, was with her mother when they received the good news. She said: "My dad died before the pandemic, so this was my mother's first holiday since then. Her friend convinced her to go into the sea.

"It wasn't a very nice day so they were the only people there. The ring fell off her finger and she was up to her neck in water so she couldn't reach it.

"It was a heart-breaking situation for her as she could see it but had to leave it.

"She thought it was gone forever. The ring is a constant memory of my father so it was particularly sad.

"Then I contacted Richard and I thought if anyone had a chance of finding it, it was him.

"We were amazed when he called us - my mother was absolutely delighted.

"I think she might get the ring resized and we have told her she's not to go swimming in it anymore."

Richard, 52, is an experienced detectorist and has found numerous items of jewellery lost in the sea for people before but he said this was the deepest item he had ever uncovered.

He said: "I spent the best part of 11 hours over five occasions searching an area the size of a tennis court.

"I must have dug well over 100 holes, many of them false alarms as you don't know if you're detecting a hair clip or a diamond ring.

"The day I found it I thought it would be my last attempt - I had basically given up. It was a low tide, so the area where the ring sank was now above water.

"I was using a specialised metal detector which alerted me to it well over a foot down - the deepest I've ever found something.

"I couldn't believe it. I experienced this rush of exhaustion and relief. I must have been lucky or blessed.

"That ring should never have been found and yet it found me. I was only told about it two weeks after it was lost.

"It's an absolute whopper of a ring. If anyone else came across it, it would have been the find of the year."

Richard also uncovered a stainless steel watch and over £20 in cash while searching for the ring.

He publishes details of his finds on his blog, the RingFinder.com.

Richard asks all those who benefit from his service to make a donation to the Margaret Green Animal Rescue, a charity which re-homes abandoned pets.