Museum bosses have been deluged with calls from metal detector enthusiasts after a Shropshire woman became the first person in the UK to be convicted of failing to report treasure.

Peter Reavill, finds liaison officer for the county, said he had been inundated with inquiries from worried metal detectorists who fear they could end up being prosecuted if they take their finds to him for identification.

It follows a landmark hearing, described by experts as the first of its kind in the country, in which Kate Harding, of Ludlow, was prosecuted for failing to notify the coroner after discovering a rare piedfort, a silver coin-like object dating from the 1300s.

Bur Mr Reavill said today: “People bring items to me to be recorded. I might see 1,000 objects a year and only about 20 are classed as treasure. Of those perhaps four of them end up in a museum and the finder will always receive a reward if that is the case.”

He said it is the coroners service which pushes for prosecutions but if an item is brought to him and he believes it could be treasure, by law he has to notify the coroner.

He said if, in the unlikely event that an artefact does end up in a museum, they do try to ensure the finder is mentioned in any literature.

“We try and ensure it is a positive experience,” Mr Reavill said.

“I don’t understand why this object was not reported in this case. The reason why it is the first prosecution is that these things are usually ironed out beforehand.

“I don’t want people to be put off by it. I try and be honest with people about what they have found and try to help them.

“In this case we still have not even established whether it is treasure or not which is why there needs to be a treasure inquest.”

He explained that to be classed as treasure it must be an object rather than a coin and needs to be more than 300 years old. It also needs to have a precious metal content of more than 10 per cent.

He added that 10 or more coins with precious metal content of less than 10 per cent can be classed as a horde of coins and they could be classed as treasure.

An item of prehistoric date for example, the Iron Age, which has gold content is classed as treasure as well as two or more items of prehistoric based metal which are found together.

For details log on www.finds.org.uk

By Sophie Bignall