North Yorkshire Police received a flood of responses to a picture-led social media post looking to locate the owner of the item, which heavily resembled the ring used in the Lord of the Rings franchise, complete with Elvish-style engraved script around its inner and outer edges.

In the main post, police said the ring had been recovered with property stolen in a house burglary that took place early last year and that they had so far been unable to locate the rightful owner.

Illustrating an obvious unfamiliarity with the work of JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson, it read: "As it is such a distinctive piece of jewellery, we’re hoping that someone will recognise the markings and be able to tell us who it rightfully belongs to, as I’m sure someone, somewhere is missing it.”

Lord of the Rings fans took great delight in responding to the public appeal to return the ring to its rightful owner. Picture: North Yorkshire Police

Rather predictably, fans of the world-famous franchise took it upon themselves to school the North Yorkshire force and the results were hilarious.

Mattias Johansson wrote: "Please send it to Sauron, Servant of Morgoth, The dark Tower of Barad-dûr 1, 666 66 Mordor. Thank you."

Roxy Hood added: "The ring is trying to get back to its master, it wants to be found."

Ben Picton commented: "There may come a day when the strength of the North Yorkshire Police fail. But it is NOT THIS DAY!"

Richard McCall quipped: Silver not gold? That belongs to Smigol the less expensive brother of Sméagol. He can be heard calling for it... 'My Semi-Precious'".

Kellie Place said: "That’s my precious...... it’s was forged in middle earth with ethereal Elvin jewellery makers with silver from the mines of trolls .... I must have it back ... it’s mine."

Alvin Alvarez posted: "The beacons are lit!! Yorkshire PD calls for aid!!"

Tom O'Brien wrote: "And into this ring he poured his gravy, his tea and his will to dominate all of Yorkshire."

Tim Riley joked: "So Frodo didn’t cast it into the fires of mount Doom, the lying little b******d."

Charlotte Tait said: "A little more caution from you that is no trinket you carry!"

Ian Clark added: "'They're thieves! They're thieves! They're filthy little thieves! Where is it? Where is it? They stole it from us, our precious. Curse them! WE hates them! it's ours it is, and we wants it! We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us."

Neil Woods commented: "I think it says `Love me Tender, Love me true' but my Elvish isn't what it used to be."

And, finally, Riley A Woohooten Jr.commented: "I like less than half of these comments half as well as they deserve.”

Lord of the Rings fans troll police over appeal to return 'distinctive' ring to owner