Woman reunited with wedding ring she lost in potato patch 50 years ago

A single-minded metallic detectorist has reunited a pistillate with the wedding ringing she mislaid successful a murphy spot successful the Western Isles 50 years ago.

Peggy MacSween believed she had mislaid the aureate set everlastingly aft it slipped disconnected her digit portion she gathered potatoes astatine her location connected Benbecula successful the Outer Hebrides.

But aft precocious learning of her mislaid ring, chap islander and detection enthusiast Donald MacPhee made it his ngo to unearth the treasure.

MacPhee spent 3 days searching Liniclate Machair, the sandy coastal meadow wherever the murphy spot erstwhile was with a metallic detector. The country had go a fashionable drinking spot implicit the years, resulting successful a important fig of buried tin ringing pulls that confused the sonic hunt for the ring.

MacPhee, who runs Benbecula’s Nunton House hostel, explained: “For 3 days I searched and dug 90 holes. The occupation is golden rings marque the aforesaid dependable [on the detector] arsenic ringing pulls and I got a batch of those – arsenic good arsenic galore different things specified arsenic horseshoes and cans.

“But connected the 3rd time I recovered the ring. I was perfectly flabbergasted. I had searched an country of 5,000 sq metres. It was a 1 successful a 100,000 accidental and surely my champion find. It was a fluke. There was method involved, but I conscionable got lucky.”

Taking up the story, 86-year-old MacSween added: “He conscionable came to the doorway and said: ‘I person thing to amusement you.’ It was the ring. I couldn’t judge it, but determination it was. I thought I would ne'er spot it again.”

She said: “I was shaking the soil retired of my gloves and the ringing disappeared. I didn’t cognize until I got home. I went retired erstwhile oregon doubly to look for it, but determination was nary mode of uncovering it.”

Her husband, John, whom she joined successful July 1958 and died a fewer years ago, bought her a replacement portion they were connected holiday.

MacPhee said helium had started metallic detecting 7 years agone aft watching YouTube videos. “That got maine funny and this is for galore reasons my champion find. It was very, precise emotional,” helium said.