A man from Paddock Wood who lost his wedding ring in the sea while on holiday in the Isle of Wight has been reunited with it thanks to the help of an 11 year old girl.

Matt Eastley from Siskin Gardens thought he would never see his gold wedding band again after it slipped off his finger on Ventnor Beach on August 6.

The 54-year-old said he had been "splashing about" in the sea before he realised the ring he had worn for 15 years was missing.

Expecting to never see it again, Mr Eastley, who works in communications, sought one final plea for help from a cafe nearby.

He asked staff if they could keep a lookout on the off chance it turned up.

The next day, 11-year-old Priya Sahu, from Southampton discovered the ring washed up on the shore.

She had been walking with her mother Aswita Sahu when she found it in the sand.

Mrs Sahu said: "We thought someone must be devastated about losing their wedding ring and Priya said it would be magical if we could actually find this person."

They contacted the cafe owner, who then eventually put them in touch with Mr Eastley.

Priya and Mrs Sahu returned the ring to Mr Eastley in Watts Park on Sunday.

Mr Eastley said losing the ring was devastating and is pleased to have it back.

He added: "It is irreplaceable - that's the only word I can think of.

"But it's been wonderful. It's life-affirming. It's a really happy ending.

"It's been a bit of a grim 2020 but [the find has] certainly put a smile on my face."

Story and picture credit: BBC

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