Christmas is the time for giving, but one Wellingtonian gave more than they anticipated to the Wellington City Mission.

A member of the public accidentally donated a ring while giving to the Mission's annual street appeal last Friday.

Wellington City Mission appeal co-ordinator Joanna Moss said she found the ring when she took the collection buckets to the bank to be processed later that day.

''I ripped the security seal off the bucket and there it was, sitting right in the middle.

''If it hadn't been on top of the coins, I wouldn't have seen it.''

Moss believes the ring slipped off the donor's finger as they pushed a note through the narrow slot in the bucket.

She said a number of odds and ends - including cheques and buttons - ended up in collection buckets, so there was a possibility that it had been given deliberately.

''The Wellington City Mission receives all kinds of gifts.''

But once that had been discounted, the ring was handed in to Wellington City Police, where it awaits collection.

''Really we were concerned that someone had no idea where it had gone, and spent all weekend worrying about it.''

Because each collection bucket is marked, Moss was able to identify approximately where and what time the accidental donation had been made, but those details would have to be verified by its rightful owner.

Alternatively, a photo or detailed description would be enough to claim it.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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