A TELEVISION antiques expert wants to ease his conscience by giving £200 to the owner of a ring he helped to sell at auction - if only he can find him.

Several months ago a man from Chesterton called into the Bucknell home of Bargain Hunt's Charlie Ross to ask for his help selling a Georgian ring.

  • Do you know the man? Call us on 01865 425405 or email us 

The ring sold for more than expected but, due to a misunderstanding, Mr Ross is now sitting on the man’s money with no way of contacting him.

Mr Ross, also appears on BBC programmes The Antiques Road Trip and Flog It, said: “A very nice man who either knew me or knew of me brought a ring round to my house. I gave it to [fellow Bargain Hunt star] Thomas Plant, who sold it at auction for over £200.

“When Thomas got back in touch with me and asked if he should send it directly to the owner, I told him he had the details on the envelope the ring was in, which he then told me he’d thrown away.

“So I had the payment made to me and I’ve been hoping the man would come and knock on the door and say: ‘Hey you rogue, where’s my money?’

“I want to find this man otherwise I shall go to my grave with this guilt. I like to think of myself as an honest bloke, and now I’m sitting on £200 of someone else’s money so I feel rather bad about it.”

The ring was gold and had an engraving of a coat of arms. It was sold at Special Auction Services about six weeks ago, and Mr Ross has not heard from the mystery owner since being handed the ring about six months ago.

He continued: “It would have made a nice Christmas present for the chap – a couple of hundred quid.”

Mr Ross, who is also the president of Oxford Operatic Society, said that he is commonly called upon for help selling a variety of items.

He said: “I’m fairly well known so people do get in touch and bring things round. I used to have an auction room. I don't have an outlet myself anymore but I can usually place things in the right direction.”

The owner of the ring can collect the money by either re-visiting the home of Mr Ross or via the Oxford Mail by calling 01865 425460.