Diamond ring found in clean-out

18 October 2010

A diamond engagement ring lost 17 years ago has been found and reunited with its owner after City of Sydney health officers turned detective.

Eagled-eyed Council workers found the missing ring inside a purse as they were clearing more than 45 truckloads of waste from an inner city terrace house over-flowing with years of accumulated waste and materials.

And owner Nerida Lamphee wept with joy when she was reunited with the ring she never thought she'd ever see again.

"I thought it was gone for good," Nerida said. "It's one of those phone calls you never expect to receive. I really thought the ring and the photos of my children had been lost forever.

"Council staff did a great job and there were a few tears of joy when I met the City of Sydney staffer who found the ring to personally thank him for his great work," she said.

When Nerida damaged her engagement ring in 1993, she put it in her purse for safe-keeping. Unfortunately on a night out at the Whitehorse Hotel in Surry Hills she lost both the purse and the ring inside given to her in 1960.

Council workers moved on the inner city terrace house with a court order after receiving numerous complaints from nearby residents about the smell and vermin coming from the house.

"It was like finding a needle in a haystack," City of Sydney Specialist Health Surveyor Andrew McMillan said.

"Amongst the general rubbish on the floor was a dirty brown ladies purse. Inside was an old NSW Drivers licence, some receipts, some small wedding photos and photos of young children as well as a gold diamond ring.

"We took the purse and its contents to the Surry Hills Police Station and they were able to track down and return it to Nerida," Mr McMillan said.

"Everyday at the City of Sydney is different and you never know what you're going to find. It's nice when you can do something that brings so much joy to someone."

Media Contact:  Josh MacKenzie 0402 351 459