I see it similarly to the issues regarding knives: an excellent tool when used for something good, but can be stupidly applied, without forethought and create real problems. Same with most things really... And in the grand scheme of things, it aint really bad, is it? (metal detecting, that is) - certainly not when compared to such issues as pollution and global warming. Now that's summat to shout loud about - but again, using basic ethics and common sense. How many of us know people who reckon they're 'Green', yet fly here and there for their holiday snaps, drive big cars (sometimes just to the shops nearby for small amounts when the lazy bastards should walk!), yet have the audacity to moan about wind-farms being built in areas cos it might spoilt their view! Idiots!

But if you do find owt in your metal-detecting, take photos (so it shows you've made the discovery), contact your local archaeos, or council - and take it from there!

atb - Paulus

PS - if people start shouting their mouths off on this matter, like silly children, I'd ask them politely to calm down and start again. Some folk are able to do that, others just can't control otherwise unresolved issues.

Nowt wrong with it - just those robbing nighthawker bastards giving genuine people interested in history a bad name!

Typical BBC arseholes - one week metal detecting bad (National Trust fops trying to ban it), then good (saxon find), then bad again (nighthawkers this morning )!!!

Just make everyone with a metal detector have a licence and lock the rest of em in clink for a few months :)

Metal detecting is right. It lessens Bill Wyman's Big Band activities and therefore keeps teenage girls that much safer as well. A big plus, I'd say.

Whether you think metal detecting is a good thing or not, the last part of this report shows everything that is wrong with it (although slightly sensationalist).
The detectorists are metal detecting on a scheduled ancient monument which is illegal.
They are in a field without the landowners permission.
It is in the middle of the night.
When confronted they make a joke of the whole thing with agressive undertones.
They show physical agression towards the film crew
And lastly it can be deduced from these factors that anything they do find will certainly not be reported.

The detectorists in this report are nothing but theives.

Just out of idle curiosity, who is mole?

Ihaveno intention of going thier with my spade and fork.

I was just enquiring about the edicate

I'm sre the local archelogical socity are aware of it anyway.

Local hstory has aways fancinated me abiet local village names.

Theres s village called Tewin - Anglo saxon god of medows

Theres s village called Danesbury - Where a tribe of Dnes were massacred

Theres a village called Wheathampsted - Where threr is a a manmade structure called "devils dike" - The site of a old battle

There a place called nomands land - Where cromwell stationed his tropps and where the highway wooman "the wicked lady" road

There a road called white horse lane the site of a viking battle and is haunted by the ghost of a headfless horse

Theres a village called Datchworth where they burned witches to the stake and had a ducking pond.

So i have a genuine intrest

As for digs as a kid in 1974 (11 years old)I spent the summer helping out fetching and carrying as the professonals exivated the remains of a bath house and grave yard.