Folder disappeared from desktop (macOS High Sierra 10.13.6)

Hi,

A folder just disappeared from my desktop, completely out of the blue. I noticed because I was downloading a file to that directory and then suddenly I saw error messages saying the location could no longer be found.

It contained at least >200GB of files. The free space on my drive has not changed, even following a restart which makes me think it must still be there, somewhere? There is nothing in my trash. The folder is not visible on the desktop or in a Finder window. I do not have iCloud switched on, and even if I did there's no way that amount of data could be backed up to my 5GB allowance.

It's almost as if it never existed, one moment it was there and the next it just disappeared right in front of my eyes.

I'm currently carrying out a back up of my drive just in case. Unfortunately it was a little while since my last back up, with a MBP as old as mine it's a bit of a day job and it's difficult to make time to do it.

Any help recovering this folder would be very much appreciated, I am at an absolute loss for a explanation let alone a solution D: