Stolen ring posted back to owner with apology note

A handwritten note posted with the ring simply read "Darren Sorry"

A man whose late fiancee's engagement ring was stolen has been left surprised after it was posted back to him with an apology note.

Darren Horsnell, a Falklands War veteran, had appealed on social media for thieves to return the jewellery after a burglary at his home in Haslingden, Lancashire.

The ring was later posted through the door of the charity where he works, Veterans In Communities.

He said it was a "relief" to have the ring back and it had come with a note in the envelope that read "Darren Sorry".

The 62-year-old, who served in the Royal Artillery, was on a fundraising fishing trip for the veterans' charity when the ring was taken.

"I was gutted when it was stolen as it was nearly four years to the day when my fiancee Tracey died," he said.

"I was literally physically sick when I noticed it had gone, I couldn't believe it."

The thieves took the ring, a charm bracelet, some cash, a tablet computer and a valuable chess set on 23 September.

It prompted Mr Horsnell to post an appeal on social media which read: "The most precious thing I own is the engagement ring I gave to Tracey on my 50th birthday which always laid by her ashes in the living room."

Darren Horsnell says he was gutted when his late fiancee's ring was stolen from his home

He urged the thieves to "keep all the other items, bring back the ring and that will be the end of it as far as I am concerned".

"Post it in the letter box, leave it by the front door, do whatever you want but give it back to me," he added.

Mr Horsnell told BBC Radio Lancashire he had "an amazing reaction".

"It was shared thousands of times by people who know me and those who don't know me.

"But it was returned in a white envelope posted through the letterbox of the charity I work for."

He said the note "was like a child had written it" or someone had done it with their non-writing hand.

"Not for a minute do I believe it was the thief that returned it because if they were sick enough to steal it from where it was I don't think they had a conscience," he said.

"Words can't explain how relieved I was to get it back."