A BEACHGOER who returned a lost wedding ring to its owner has been dubbed an ‘angel in a wetsuit’.

Richard Spivey, 49, and his wife, Adriana, were holidaying in Bournemouth from London when he lost the special keepsake in the sea at Alum Chine beach last month.

While reporting the loss to the beach office, he found the number for Richard Higham, who, as a hobby, uses a metal detector to help reunite people with their lost items.

Mr Spivey said: “After calling Richard, within an hour, he was out with his wetsuit and metal detector, ready to help us.

“Following four days of searching, he rang to say he’d found a ring, and I knew it was mine, because Adriana’s name is inscribed into it.

“It’s an amazing feeling to have it back, but Richard wouldn’t take any money from us, and instead asked us to support the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

“I thought that angels had wings, but now I know that they can arrive in a wetsuit as well.

“He’s such an incredible guy, and we have made a life-long friend.”

Richard, from Swanage, said he had offered people help in searching for their lost jewellery and keys over the last three years to avoid their things getting into the wrong hands, and raising money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

He added: “It all started out after feeling alarmed at the amount of things being found and sold on, without any effort to find the rightful owner.

“I get as much enjoyment out of planning how I’m going to find the ring, as the owners do at getting their possession back.

“When someone asks why I don’t keep the items, I say: ‘Why should I profit from other people’s loss?’ It’s also against the law to take something that isn’t yours under the Theft by Finding law.”

Richard added that he urged people to report their lost items to their local beach office and the police. For more information, go to theringfinders.com. Alternatively call Richard on 07899 996686.