After three months of searching, an historical mayoral chain has been found – in a desk drawer.  

The Mayor of St Albans Mohammad Iqbal Zia and his wife Farhat said they were “ecstatic” after finding the £3,000 civic chain under a pile of papers in a desk drawer at their home.

Farhat wears the regalia while she is on official engagements with the mayor as his consort.

She lost sight of it during a hectic round of engagements in June and believed it must have fallen out of its carrying pouch at an event.

Mayor Zia said: “This has caused us untold distress. It was a very upsetting time for me, my wife and the whole family.

“We are ecstatic that it has been found safe and sound. Ever since it went missing we have retraced our steps over and over and thought ‘where could it be?’.”

The mayoress added: “We searched every inch of the house when the chain disappeared, except this one drawer, of course.

“I kept the chain in its pouch there and it must have slipped out and become covered over by some papers. It is the last place in the world that we expected to find it.

“I was heartbroken that such a beautiful and historical piece, part of the heritage of St Albans, had been lost. I am extremely happy that it has been found and I will protect it at all costs.”

The regalia consists of an 18 carat gold shield-shaped body, mounted with the enamelled Arms of the City, and has been worn by numerous mayor’s consorts while on official business.

It was presented to the then Corporation of St Albans in 1936 with the original silk cord being replaced by a gold chain at a later date. 

Mayor Zia had asked for residents to look out for the distinctive chain which dates back to 1907, and an appeal was made in the local media.

He said: “We want to thank all those people who kept an eye out for it and supported us through this difficult event. I am just glad for them as well as for us that there has been a happy ending.”