A visitor to Totnes has launched an appeal for the return of a treasured earring which she lost during a shopping trip in the town.

Julie Dingley received the pair of diamond and sapphire stud earrings as birthday gift from her late husband, Colin.

The 64-year-old was “gutted” when she discovered she had lost one, as Colin died of cancer just 18-months ago and the earrings were a precious memory of their life together.

Julie, of South Warwickshire, said: “Colin died from renal cancer 18 months ago and I still miss him today as much as I did then.

“He bought the earrings for me from the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter for my 50^th birthday.

“They were studs with a sapphire in the middle surrounded by tiny diamonds.

“They were such pretty earrings and the jeweller told me not to put them in a drawer when we got home, but to wear them lots.”

Julie, who works as an NHS secretary, lost one of the earrings while shopping with a friend in Totnes town centre on Saturday June 18 and is appealing to anyone who may have found it to return it to her.

“I was on holiday in South Devon and visited Totnes with a friend who I was staying with in Torquay,” she said.

“After parking in the car park at the bottom of the road that runs parallel with Fore Street we went shopping.

“Before long we had to go back to the car park to put more money in the meter, and then returned to Fore Street for coffee.

“When we got back to my friend’s house I realised that I had lost an earring. 

I checked everything – my friend’s car, my shopping bags, handbag and anything else I could think of but it didn’t turn up.

“I was gutted as my husband died from cancer so recently.

“On Tuesday of the following week I returned to Totnes on my own and visited all the shops I could remember going in. 

“Everyone was very kind and took my details to contact me in case the earring came to light.

“Someone even suggested joining Totnes Facebook page, which I subsequently did, and it was suggested that I also contact the Post Office.

“An old schoolfriend of mine texted to say that maybe the local newspaper would be interested in running an article in the faint hope that someone may have picked up my earring but not known what to do about it.”

Anyone who may have found Julie’s earring can email her at [email protected]