James Steele, who is now 95, said he bought the Rolex in 1950, shortly after his 21^st but lost it over 20 years later whilst he was working on his farm in Shropshire, England.

Mr Steele said he searched the fields for his beloved watch, but his only lead was a nearby bovine.

“The cow could have eaten it with a mouthful of grass, the vet said,” Mr Steele told the BBC.

Fifty years later, the watch has now reappeared, after Mr Steele’s son gave treasure hunter Liam King permission to use his metal detector to search for old coins on the property.

It’s unclear whether the watch, which is now tarnished with a green tint to its face, had indeed passed through a cow’s digestive tract.

“I was quite pleased because I never thought I would see the watch again,” Mr Steele said. “But I have got it now. I only have half the bracelet – the other half must have disintegrated.”

Although the watch is no longer working, Mr Steele commented that it did not rust during the 50 years.

Mr Steele doesn’t plan to get his watch repaired but is happy to have his keepsake back.