Detectorist strikes gold on second trip out as he finds 17th century ring worth 'thousands'

The 28-year-old from Albrighton said: "It was only my second time out. I had seen what Steve was bringing back and I thought I'd give it a try. But I didn't want to spend thousands so bough a £600 metal detector, which is a fraction of what other people have paid."

He and Steve joined more than 30 members of the Shrewsbury and Shropshire and Dudley metal detecting clubs at a dig in a field in Pattingham on December 3.

In just two hours Tom had unearthed a gold mourning ring, dating back to the 17th century, which is one of the biggest finds anybody at the clubs have ever unearthed.

"I was following the path going towards the car where a lot of the others had just been walking over it," said Tom. "I heard a beep, I was shocked, I shouted to Steve. He said you have got gold there.

"It was within an inch of the ground but could have been there for hundreds of years. We dug it up and then you have to do a 'gold dance'.

"I was then told by some of the old boys who had been doing it more than 20 years that they had never found anything as good. I haven't got the foggiest what it is worth but I have seen similar examples in museums."

Friend Steve Porter, added: "I got Tom into it. I've been doing it years and have a top of the range machine that cost thousands. but I've never found anything as good as that."

He said that on behalf of Tom, he has now submitted the ring to the Shropshire Finds Liaison Office, and it has just been classed as "treasure".

"The gold ring he found is a mourning ring with an inscription that reads: 'prepare to follow H S'," said Steve. "Looking at other examples in museums it's likely to be 17th century and probably worth thousands. We are all very jealous."

Tom, who is now hooked on metal detecting after his find, said he he will be back looking for treasure on Sunday in Oxford.

"I think it is going to quite hard to top what I have already found though," he admitted.