A grieving widow has put out a heart-rending appeal: help her find her late husband’s wedding band.

Francis Carroll Whittingham, known to friends and family as Carroll, was 75 when he died on October 30 following a long struggle with vascular dementia.

In the months prior to his death he was in and out of hospital. He was cared for in his final weeks at Lindley Grange on the outskirts of Huddersfield.

Somewhere along the line, his wedding ring was removed. Now wife Carole wants it back.

The couple, who lived in Rastrick, married on January 6, 1962. Half a century on Carole, 75, says nothing is more important to her than locating her husband’s ring.

“This is what is so upsetting. I put it on his finger 56 years ago. We got matching rings. He had the same as me: a plain gold wedding band.

The missing ring is identical to this one. Photo: Dave Howarth

“It’s not the value of it. That is of no consequence. The scrap value would only be 20 or 30 quid. But the sentimental value is incalculable.”

Carole and close relatives have attempted to retrace Carroll’s route through the care system in a bid to establish when his wedding ring was removed.

Via photographs they have narrowed it down to a six-month period between Christmas 2016 and July 4 last year, just before he went into Lindley Grange.

As Carroll’s condition worsened he wore hand splints that covered his fingers. His wife only realised the ring was missing after he died.

“I feel so stupid that I didn’t realise earlier. When I saw the funeral director she asked me if he was wearing jewellery. I mentioned the wedding ring and asked her to give it to me.

Pictured here with her belated husband. Phot: Dave Howarth

“On the day of the funeral I asked for it. She said he did not have it on.

“Carroll always wore his wedding ring. Someone has taken it off for whatever reason and not put it back.

“The sad thing is that because he had vascular dementia it would not have occurred to him to ask where the ring had gone.”

In the period prior to going into hospital Carroll was being cared for at home. Carers would visit him four times a day for three years. In April last year he was admitted to Calderdale Royal, where he stayed for nine weeks. After that he was in Lindley Grange, where he stayed until he died.

“If someone had taken it off he would not have been able to tell me,” says Carole. “It was a snug fit. It could not have slipped off. Therefore someone has removed it.

“It’s all a mystery.”