A Norwich grandmother who has been married for 49 years is distraught after she lost her wedding ring on a family trip to the beach.

Sandra Ireson, 70, was enjoying a day out with her children along Gorleston promenade on Sunday, March 27, when her precious ring vanished.

Despite retracing her steps and a volunteer searching the sands with a metal detector, the ring has still not been found.

As the weather was very cold, Mrs Ireson believes the piece of jewellery must have loosened when she was taking her glove off to pay for items.

She said: "I'm convinced that my ring must have come off with it.

"One minute it was on my finger, the next it was gone."

The ring is described as being a thick, yellow gold traditional wedding band, about six millimetres and is 22 carat gold.

And after almost half a century of marriage, Mrs Ireson spent the rest of the day frantically searching for her beloved possession - admitting she has been in shock since it had happened.

"I was in tears because I've virtually never taken it off," she said. "My husband Fred has offered to replace it but it has so much sentimental value to me, it just wouldn't be the same."

The family have searched far and wide for the missing ring - retracing Mrs Ireson's steps from the Marine Parade car park along to the shops, pier, toilets, beach and chip shop by the boating lake.

Mrs Ireson contacted the police, council and local shops nearby in the hope that someone had handed the ring in - but to no avail so far.

Daughter Rachel posted in a community group on Facebook which was met with dozens of messages of support and even received offers of a metal detector which searched the beach on Monday, March 28.

Mrs Ireson still remains hopeful of being reunited with her ring but acknowledges time is "running out".

She added: "The support has been brilliant and we're at the stage where all we can do is hope.

"I know I've got to come to terms with it being lost but it just feels like a nightmare - I still can't believe it's happened."