EMMA Kennedy believes there was a series of signs leading up to the discovery of a wedding ring she lost on Four Mile Beach.

The Northern Territory mother-of-two noticed her diamond and ruby band had slipped off while taking her son, Jack, boogie boarding on Thursday. It was miraculously found and returned to her two days later by a local professional prospector, who preferred to remain anonymous.

“I’m still in disbelief,” she said.

“It’s such a miraculous find, the ring spending two nights in the ocean, then coming back to me.

“Given that I hardly took any notice of where exactly we were swimming, the turbulence of the water and strong under current, it really is crazy that the ring has come back.”

After seeing a Newsport article on Friday, the prospector headed to Four Mile Beach at midnight with his metal detector. Searching under moonlight and at low tide, he located the ring under two inches of sand in the main swimming area in front of the lifeguard hut.

“Even when I initially lost it, there were some signs,” Emma explained.

“I clearly remember walking away feeling a very heavy heart, but cuddling Patrick and holding Jack’s hand thinking ‘not to worry, it certainly could be worse’. As we wandered down the beach quietly, I noticed a rainbow and pointed it out to Jack.

“I’m not sure if that was nature telling me a little story.”

Determined not to give up - and with the generous help of accommodation owners Bruno and Toni Bennett from Coral Sea Villas - Emma and her family conducted a line search of the area on Thursday night.

“We searched at midnight, and then sourced a detector and attempted again at the following low tide. It felt hopeless,” she said.

“I had to accept that searching for the ring was beyond me, I personally wasn't able to safely and effectively pursue it. If it was meant to be, I had done everything I could to put the message out there, get the stars to align, so to speak, and see if the universe will assist.”

Emma said she called on the help of Saint Anthony, her recently deceased grandmother and pet dog Sunny, by saying a series of ‘little prayers’. She also kept a collection of medals and good luck charms on hand ‘which I carry with me when we travel, and have all become good omens over the years’.

But ultimately, it was a call on Saturday morning that would prove the biggest sign.

“The prospector saw your article on Newport and decided to search for it with his professional equipment,” Emma said.

“When he called to say he had my ring it was really hard to process. I wasn't sure whether to believe it until I saw it.

"It was tears of joy, I gave him a big hug. It was a really special moment.”

Emma is still missing her engagement ring, but it was the one returned that she held most dear. And with it safely back on her finger, she said an empty feeling inside of her had vanished.

“Most importantly, the things the ring symbolises are alive and well.”