Small town spirit gets the job done time after time.

Countless times, the community has come together to locate items, give a helping hand, and just be there for others.

Brooke Wade helped a visitor to the town to find a very special ring. It all began with visitors enjoying a cool off at Sandy Point while calling through on a 42-degree day.

“We always call in to Hay when travelling,” said Bec Francis, 53 (right).

“We love Hay because of its amazing dog park where we can let our dog, Mango out for a nice run, its great facilities and friendly people.”

However, on this occasion, it was too hot for the dog park, so Bec looked for a place they could pull up by the river and have a swim.

When she opened the car door, Mango jumped straight out and eagerly ran into the water.

As it was a spur of the moment swim, Bec didn’t stop to remove her jewellery.

While enjoying their cool off in the river, the band slipped off Bec’s hand. “I could feel it going, but it happened in an instant,” she said.

“I froze in the exact spot and tried my hardest to feel around and try to find it. The bottom of the river was just more than arm’s length and as hard as I tried, I could not find it.”

Desperate to recover the treasured item, Bec and her daughter Mackenzie called out to a nearby boat for help, thinking it was possible they had a net with them they could use to scoop up the ring.

The people on the boat, including Brooke Wade, immediately came to help, and there were 10 people looking for the ring.

After some 15 minutes there was still no luck finding the ring.

This ring isn’t just any ordinary ring.

It was her late husband’s wedding band who died in April 2022 from a virulent and rare case of squamous cell carcinoma.

“He was an amazing man; although he was in a lot of pain, he never lost the essence of who he was.”

The ring is a different in appearance to your average gold band.

“We called in to the local jeweller at Adelaide, to sort out our rings before we got married,” Bec said.

“My husband was wearing his bracelet he was gifted for his 21st birthday by friends, they bought at the jam factory.

“While we were looking, the jeweller noticed the bracelet, and said he made that.

“We couldn’t believe it, but he did indeed make the bracelet, so we had a matching ring made.”

After he passed, her 23-year-old daughter has always worn the bracelet, and Bec wears his wedding band.

Brooke took to a Hay site on Facebook, to reach out for help.

Before she knew it, Serena and Jason Wall headed down to Sandy Point with Jason’s metal detector.

Having to keep on travelling, Bec and Brooke swapped contact details, and Bec and her little convoy kept on driving.

“We were 45 minutes out of Hay when Brooke texted, and the part I could see said, “Guess what?” Brooke sent through a picture of Jason with the ring on his finger.

“I pulled over, and burst into tears. “I hadn’t cried all this time but finding the ring meant so very much.

“The ring won’t bring my husband back but it is so indescribably good to have it back.

“I caught up with Jason and he laughingly told me he found six bottle tops, ring pulls and foil before he found the ring,” Bec said.

Jason had only been YouTubing how to look for items with a metal detector underwater the day before.

“I am so grateful to beautiful Brooke, with her quietly positive nature, and the wonderful Hay community coming together to help. It is absolutely amazing and we are forever grateful.”

Bec said while they have always called into Hay on their regular travels, they will make sure to always come to Hay, as it holds an even more special meaning for them.