Lost wedding ring found on Havelet beach, Guernsey

  • Published
ring in the sandImage source, Shane Le Page
Image caption,

Metal detectorist Shane Le Page helped track down Mr Langlois' ring after he lost it during a midnight swim

A man who lost his wedding ring in the sea during a midnight swim said he was "amazed" to be reunited with it after a search by family and friends.

Tim Langlois, 42, said he was "like a child who has just won the big prize at the fairground" after the discovery in Havelet Bay, Guernsey.

The ring, which he had worn for 16 years, slipped off on Saturday.

It was found the next day, about 20ft (6m) out to sea from where he had been, three inches beneath the sand.

Mr Langlois, from Guernsey, said the tide "had been all the way out and come all the way back in again" so he was "amazed" to see the ring again.

Image source, Shane Le Page
Image caption,

Mr Langlois' wife Sarah-Jane and son Zach were relieved when the ring was found

He had been out for a late-night dip with friends to celebrate a 40th birthday.

"I know it's only a ring but I just felt it slip off my hand and I thought I can't believe this - it gave me a sickening feeling," he said.

Shane Le Page, a licensed metal detector from not-for-profit Guernsey Heritage Keepers, joined Mr Langlois' relatives to scour the beach the following day.

Image source, Shane Le Page
Image caption,

It took Shane Le Page about an hour to find the ring

Mr Langlois spent the day at work, photographing a wedding.

"They played the song that my wife walked into the church to, and I started crying," he said.

Mr Le Page surprised him with the ring at the beach later in the day and said: "I think with the sea condition it does move quite a bit on that beach, the swell I think had dragged the ring further down - I used my instincts".

"Shane Le Page is literally my angel sent from heaven," said Mr Langlois.

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