Ancient treasure found by metal hunters vanishes amid fears insider plundered storerooms

ANCIENT treasure found by metal detectorists has gone missing amid fears that an insider has plundered secure heritage storerooms.

Police are investigating after irreplaceable artefacts worth tens of thousands of pounds disappeared after being passed to officials over the past four years.

They include a 3,500-year-old arrowhead and a silver penny from William the Conqueror’s reign.

The finders had handed over the items, as required by law, and waited to learn if they were classed as treasure.

But they were shocked to be told they had gone missing from secure council stores and fear they have been sold on America’s black market.

One detectorist said: “This is devastating for us personally but also for the nation.

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“Some of these items have not been held by human hands since the Bronze Age.

“But after we found them and passed them to officials, they have vanished into thin air.”

The mystery centres around items found in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Anyone who finds such items has to hand them to a Finds Liaison Officer within 14 days.

The officers are based all over the country and, along with a coroner, decide whether the find is treasure trove or not.

If it is determined not to be treasure, the finder can keep it — otherwise it is considered national heritage and must be offered for sale to a museum at a price set by independent experts.

One detectorist handed in a haul including 3,500-year-old axe heads but said: “For two and a half years I heard nothing so went to see them and was told that one of my axe heads and all the coins had vanished.

“I began speaking to other detectorists and was shocked to find I wasn’t alone.”

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Officials are investigating.

Police also confirmed inquiries were ongoing.