A WOMAN who unwittingly lost her diamond ring on a garage forecourt is to be re-united with the sparkler.

The unnamed woman, in her 30s, lost the engraved gold ring, encrusted with five diamonds, at the Fina garage, Chester Road, Stanley, County Durham, on September 6.

The tearful woman returned to the garage an hour later and sat in her Vauxhall Cavalier crying while her husband made inquiries at the desk.

Unknown to staff, an off-duty policeman, PC Damon Devine, found the ring beside a petrol pump minutes after the woman's first visit and handed it over to Stanley police station.

CCTV footage of the woman was widely publicised and friends telephoned the police yesterday saying they knew who the owner was.

Police are contacting the woman and will reunite her with the ring early next week