A UK man who lost his wedding ring during a Valentine's Day trip?was amazed when waste management staff were able to finally find the ring and return it to him.
James Ross, 38, said his heart sank when he saw the ring tumble into a household waste container, reports claim.?
Dreading the thought of explaining the mishap to wife Lara, the dad-of-two's heart sank as he realised he was unlikely to see the ring again.
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He was dropping off cardboard at the Household Waste Recycling Centre, in North Shields, on Valentine¡¯s Day morning when it happened,?Chronicle Live reports.
'My hands were cold and, as I was shaking out the box, suddenly the ring was just gone.'
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'I don't know if it caught the edge of the box, but my heart just sank. I was beside myself. I had no expectations and thought the chances of getting it back were slim.'
Mr Ross reported the loss to a site operative and then looked on nervously as four staff members conducted a fingertip search through a 10ft mound of household rubbish.
James Ross said that he wasn't worried about the cost of the ring but the ornament was "laser engraved with my wife's handwriting and the date we got married in 2009. It was irreplaceable."
In fact, James Ross had lost hope but, "Suddenly, there it was. The ring was caked in rubbish and grime, but it was amazing to have it back. The staff were life savers. They've gone way beyond the call of duty, being as nice and polite as they can be."
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Phil Cooper, supervisor of the site, was one of the four who went in to search for the ring along with Adam McGregor and Brian Hellens.
"The guy was ecstatic when we handed back his ring. If it had fallen into a bag, it would have been gone. He was very fortunate that morning," he said.
North Tyneside's Elected Mayor Norma Redfearn CBE also applauded the staff workers and said that the staff members are a "caring bunch and obviously with a romantic streak as well. I'm very proud of them."