Eight drain experts, four oxygen tanks, and a diver down the septic tank but they still could not relocate the $10,000 engagement rings that were flushed down a toilet at Bellinter House Hotel, County Meath.

This strange tale all started when Imogen Gunner (31) accidentally knocked her friend’s rings, which came from Harrods in London and Fields in Swords, Dublin, into the toilet.

Last Friday, Ashling Cahill (32) was sharing a room with her friend at the hotel, ahead of her own wedding in November. She wrapped the rings in tissue and stored them in her wash bag over night. However, when the wash bag was accidentally tipped over, Gunner unknowingly flushed the ball of tissue down the toilet.

Gunner, who will perform at Cahill’s wedding as part of the group Celtic Harmony, said she was thankful to everyone who had tried to help.
 
She told the Irish Independent, “It has really brought out the best in people. I'm going to have to find out the make and model of the rings and see if I can replace them.”

She added, “Ashling is disappointed but she can't believe how helpful people have been."

Cora Dwyer, general manager of the country-house hotel said, "We can't do anything more. There were eight experts from three companies searching for the ring.

"They emptied it with a bucket -- I saw the guy coming back up out of the tank. They are devastated," she added.

Jim Phibbs, director of Bluestream Wastewater Services sifted through the contents of the septic tank.

He said, “We got to the bottom of the tank. We've done everything that we could. Maybe God might bring them back to her. No more could have been done; every person gave 100 percent."