He began metal detecting a couple of years ago, and the discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard less than a mile away from David Ellis’s home boosted his excitement for his hobby.

And today the 47-year-old was celebrating a fascinating find of his own — an intricate piece of a gold necklace around 2,000-years-old he found on Staffordshire farm land. Yesterday it was declared treasure.

The move came during a rare hearing before a coroner in Cannock.

Mr Ellis, of Brownhills, unearthed the gold in August last year and sent it to the British Museum, whose experts estimated it to be around 2,000 years old and said it was probably part of a jewelled necklace.

Mr Ellis today said he was delighted with the news.

But the painter and decorator, who regularly goes metal detecting with his 45-year-old wife Mandy, said he believed the piece would be worth no more than £100.

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