A METAL detectorist reunited a heartbroken pensioner with her solid gold wedding ring after she lost it in a back garden bonfire.

Anthony Mims, who is part of Chippenham & District Metal Detecting Club helped 76-year-old Pat find her 22 carat gold wedding band after it had been missing for weeks.

Pat's husband Colin volunteers at Malmesbury Museum where he bumped into Mr Mims while documenting Roman coins.

Colin then asked if he would help find their 54-year-old golden wedding ring which they believed was lost in their garden at their home near Malmesbury.

Pat said: "I was ever so grateful that he found my wedding ring.

"We've got a fairly big garden and had searched through most of it but couldn't find it.

"It was in the ashes of the bonfire and fortunately the ring hadn't even been marked or scorched.

"I felt so cross with myself when I lost the ring but was thrilled to bits when Mimzy found it for us."

Mr Mims said: "I wasn't expecting to actually find the ring after the 30 minutes of searching I did around the garden.

"I don't think any of us were particularly hopeful at that point.

"It was the last place we could possibly look and it was great that we did end up finding it."