A SHARP-EYED man who spotted a ring with a green gem outside in a Tavistock car park, is asking for owner to come forward and claim it after becoming frustrated he could find no local police to report it to.

Tim Britten, a retired mechanical engineer, found the ring on the ground in the Bedford Car Park on Wednesday, December 4. He said: “I found a ring on the ground in Bedford car park, Tavistock, possibly a valuable one.“

He reported the find to the Tavistock Times after discovering the police station was closed (discovering later that it was not open to the public) and after finding no police officer on patrol.

At home he looked up Tavistock Police Station online to try to find its opening times, but found it did not appear to open to the public.

He added: “However, the police website did have a section providing useful online advice on what to do. This directed me to give the ring to a policeman, or a PCSO (a police community support officer) or take it to the nearest police station. I thought this might be Tavistock – but no, it was Crownhill, Plymouth, which was a bit inconvenient.

I could not seen a policeman or PCSO for several days, so I lost heart.”

He added: “So if you have lost a ring with a green stone, don't bother the police as they seem somewhat divorced from their local community. Instead contact me through the good offices of the Tavistock Times Gazette.”