A Forest Hill barrister has made a plea to find her wife’s engagement and wedding rings after they were lost on her cycle into work.

Elizabeth George’s wife Diane, 55, set off on her bike from south east London to her new job in Paddington last Thursday – but when she reached Hyde Park, she realised her pannier containing her work clothes and jewellery was gone.

“She’s got quite a big job and has to get all dolled up,” Elizabeth, 51, explained.

Every morning, Diane packs her pannier with her smart clothes for work and her sentimental jewellery before clipping it onto her bike.

“It had all her lovely clothes in it and unfortunately her little jewellery box too.

“It had her diamond engagement ring and wedding ring in it, as well as the first ring I ever bought her which was lovely.

“She also wears a beautiful necklace and matching bracelet. With hindsight you realise how vulnerable that all is.”

According to Elizabeth, Diane cycles down Peckham Rye and down Rye Lane, then cuts through Camberwell and heads down Kennington Road and Vauxhall on a cycle superhighway.

When she realised her pannier wasn’t on her bike, Elizabeth’s wife of five years and partner of nearly 10 years turned around to look behind her on the road but saw no sign of the missing bag.

“The poor thing was gutted,” Elizabeth described.

The couple made a missing property report to police, but Elizabeth believes the pannier may have been ripped off and stolen from Diane’s bike as it clips on securely.

“They’re not going to just fall off,” she said.

Although the couple say it is unlikely they will recover the pannier, they still have some hope it might be found and returned.

“We’ll try anything at this point.”