« Back to 2002 News Archive

Buried Treasure Discovered

FIRST TIME OUT with a metal detector Christmas present, Phil Heslop discovered buried treasure.

For he unearthed a 3000- year-old Bronze Age sword, the only one of its kind to be found in Scotland.

Now it has gone on display in Stranraer Museum, a major addition to its collection.

Exactly where the sword was found is being kept a secret in case there are other archaeological remains in the area.

But it was somewhere in the North Rhins that Phil, who lives at Culgrange Cottage, Lochans, decided to try out the detector.

He told the "Free Press"this week

"I was full of flu and I had searched the area all afternoon until it got dark about 4.15 p.m.

"I decided I would have one last sweep before going home and that is when I heard the noise in the earphones - a nice clear ring".

Just seven inches under the surface, Phil came across a tip. Out came the bottom part of the blade. So he decided to take it home, not realising what he had.

But while driving home he realised that the sound produced by the detector indicated the object was not iron, but a non-ferrous metal.

So, a couple of days later, he returned to the area where he found the middle section. Early in January, another search revealed the hilt, all found within a 20-metre area.