A grieving widow is appealing for help to find a lost ring - forged from her and her late husband's wedding bands - which she describes as her most treasured possession.

Becky Blackwell says she felt "sick to the stomach' when she realised it was missing following an evening out in Tankerton, Whitstable, on Friday.

She immediately launched an operation to help find the ring - retracing her steps and enlisting the help of friends.

Becky's husband of 30 years, Chris Blackwell, died at the age of 62 in May last year following a battle with prostate cancer.

The ring was crafted by a school friend Sally Hutchinson - an amateur jeweller who melted down the two wedding rings and extracted the gold to create a single cherished memento.

"It took her months," said Becky, 55. "It's honestly gorgeous, and I wear it all the time.

"It's literally my most treasured possession. I'd rather lose my house than that ring.

"I was absolutely sick to my stomach when I realised it was missing. I knew straight away it was lost. I legged it down to the seafront and tried to retrace my steps."

Becky believes the ring was lost at some point on her walk back from the Royal Pub, on the seafront at Marine Parade, and her home in Bennell's Avenue. The five-minute walk passes Graystone Road, Pier Avenue, and Northwood Road.

"It was definitely on my finger in The Royal - my friend said she remembered looking at it and thinking how lovely it was," she said.

"I think I might have lost it was when I was walking along the seafront. I didn't go onto the beach but I was walking along the top of the slopes, and then I walked home.

"I lost quite a bit of weight when I had Covid a few weeks ago, and I think it must have caught on my bag and slipped off my finger.

"Saturday morning I woke up and realised I only had one ring on - I normally wear two. I'm 100 percent sure I lost it outside the house.

"I checked the ring doorbell and it showed the ring wasn't on my finger when I got back home."

Since then, Becky's been on a non-stop mission to find the ring, posting on social media and enlisting friends to distribute leaflets appealing for its return.

She said husband Chris - an officer with the London Fire Brigade - had been loved and admired by a vast network of friends, colleagues and family, including his three children.

Despite coronovirus restrictions, around 300 people turned up to his funeral - including many from the fire service.

Becky said: "It was in Bobbing on Midsummer's Day - June 21. We were supposed to come out of lockdown that day, so we'd waited until then. He died May 21 but we waited until June 21, and then we weren't allowed anyway because they extended lockdown.

"They allowed him to have a guard of honour and there was a lot of firemen there from all over the place. He was such a great man, he was really popular with his colleagues and friends.

"I was married for 30 years from when we were kids. I was only 22 and we had a long and happy marriage.

"He was gorgeous. He was a really decent man and an amazing dad."

Anyone with information on the ring, which does not have a hallmark, is asked to email Becky at becky.blackwell36@gmail.com