Metal detectors find Roman hoard

THREE metal detectorist friends have discovered a Roman hoard worth tens of thousands of pounds while spending the weekend camping in Wiltshire.

The group were staying in a field near the ancient village of Pewsey when they found the treasure trove, just six paces from where they had pitched their tent.

Computer shop owner Robert Abbott, from Essex, switched on his metal detector after having breakfast one morning and very quickly came across something.

While at first the 53-year-old uncovered only discarded metal tent pegs, he dug a little deeper and hidden below was a valuable silver Roman siliqua coin said to be about 1,600 years old.

His friends, herds manager, Mick Rae, 63, and carpenter, David Allen, 59, sprang into action and helped dig up dozens more of the coins.

By the end of the weekend, they had found 161 coins, including silver siliqua and miliarense coins dating from AD

340-402.

With so many coins, and nowhere safe to keep them, they resorted to storing them in their camping washing-up bowl, as they did not have anything else to store them in.

The coins are believed to have been buried during the last years of the Roman Empire by people looking to protect their valuables from Saxon raids.

Discovered in September 2020, the coins are now set to go under the hammer at auctioneers Noonans in Mayfair on May 17.

The hoard of 142 coins is expected to sell for up to £40,000.