Edinburgh woman who lost ‘irreplaceable’ engagement ring at beach overjoyed as it’s returned in dog poo bag

An Edinburgh woman who lost her ‘irreplaceable’ engagement ring at the beach was over-the-moon when strangers tracked it down using a metal detector and returned it in a dog poo bag.

Angie Shipp was heartbroken after realising the 18-carat blue sapphire and diamond family heirloom had slipped off her finger during a family day at the Yellowcraig Beach.

In desperation, the 38-year-old contacted charity the National Ring Recovery Service. Volunteer detectorists Graeme Cook and Christine Irvine leapt into action – and within three days they had found the ring.

Angie said it was "miraculous", adding: "I couldn't believe it that my prayers had been answered".

Angie Shipp, 38, was heartbroken when her blue sapphire and diamond engagement ring - which belonged to her late mother-in-law, Sue, 58 - slipped off while she was enjoying a day out at Yellowcraig Beach, East Lothian. Photo: SWNS

The mum-of-two went on: "When I lost my ring, I honestly thought I'd never see it again. I felt completely sick."

The ring was given to her by partner Paul, 37, when he proposed to her at Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

His dad Des had given it to his future wife Sue when the pair got engaged in 1973. Sue died from pancreatic cancer in 2010.

Angie lost it last month on a day out with fiance Paul and their children Evelyn, three, and Isobel, four months, at Yellowcraig Beach.

Until the ring had been recovered, Angie had kept the news of her missing ring from her father-in-law.

But she was delighted to announce the news of its discovery when joining husband Paul and his dad Des for lunch that same day.

She said: "I picked up the message while arriving at the cafe and ran in and gave my husband the biggest hug.

"I finally told my father-in-law the whole story and he just laughed saying: 'You always are the person to fall upwards out of the window'.

"I had already started contacting people in Ireland asking them to make some replicas of the ring, but I was just over-the-moon to have the ring safely back.

"I was so overwhelmed by the generosity of those volunteers.

"I really want people to know that even if they lose a ring, it's certainly not a lost cause because there are people like Graeme and Christine out there to help you.

"It's all thanks to them that I got my happy ending."