A COUPLE struck gold after celebrating 40 years of marriage – when their lost wedding ring turned up after 33 years.

Anthea Capewell, 60, lost both her wedding and engagement ring when she was passing through a garden gate at their old house in Stapleford.

The bands flew under a hedge and Mrs Capewell and 62-year-old husband David spent weeks searching.

They even used a metal detector in an attempt to find them.

The engagement ring was later found later during work on their drive, but the couple gave up hope of finding the gold wedding ring.

They left Welch Avenue in Stapleford in 1984 to move to Glaisdale Drive in Bilborough.

Mrs Capewell then had a phone call in May this year from ex-neighbours Carol and Don Rigby, who had lived next door to them when the rings were lost and seen their desperate search.

Mr Capewell said: "I heard Anthea get all excited on the phone. I thought she had won the lottery."

Mrs Rigby thought she had found a piece of brown metal while weeding under the hedge in Welch Avenue.

After further inspection she realised it was Mrs Capewell's gold patterned ring.

The neighbours had kept in touch over the past three decades and Mr Rigby called with the good news.

"We've had the ring cleaned up now and it's as good as new," said Mr Capewell. "I just can't believe it has turned up after all this time."

He and his wife, whose engagement ring was later stolen in a robbery, are now planning to renew their wedding vows next year.