Two Bronze Age hoards found on farm near Royston

About 200 artefacts have been unearthed after two Bronze Age hoards were found by metal detectorists.

A 13-year-old girl uncovered a hoard of about 65 axes and other items on her third detecting trip in a field near Royston, Hertfordshire, and another hoard was found close by.

Archaeologists excavated about 200 items from the adjacent sites.

The council said the hoards could be related and both were being treated as potential treasure.

The items were being sent to the British Museum where experts will examine them.

The first hoard, including axe heads dating from about 1300BC, was found in September by 13-year-old Milly, from Suffolk, who was detecting with her father.

When he dug out the first item, Milly said they joked it might be an axe - and it was.

Other detectorists, on the same organised trip, identified another potential hoard very close to Milly's axes.

Archaeologists from Cambridgeshire County Council and Oxford Archaeology East were immediately called to professionally excavate the two sites the following day.

Councillor Lorna Dupré, chairwoman of the council's environment and green investment committee, said: "We can confirm that what we believe to be two Bronze Age hoards containing around 200 items have been found on land near to Royston.

"These are being treated as two separate but related potential treasure cases as defined by the Treasure Act 1996.

"Included are a variety of incomplete artefacts such as socketed axe heads, winged axe heads, cake ingots and blade fragments, all of which are made of copper-alloy."

She said the two hoards were "a very exciting discovery".

Milly said if she was offered any money for her part of the find, it would be split equally with the landowner.

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