Massive gold hoard discovered

A 55-year-old Staffordshire metal detectorist has unearthed the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

The staggering discovery, on private farmland in the county, will redefine perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England, experts predict.

Terry Herbert, from Burntwood, came across the hoard as he searched a field near his home with his trusty 14-year-old detector.

Click on the numbers below to see more amazing pictures of the treasure.

Experts said the collection of more than 1,500 pieces - which will be officially classified by a coroner as treasure today - is unparalleled in size and may have belonged to Saxon royalty.

The hoard, believed to date back to the Seventh Century, contains around 5kg of Gold and 2.5kg of silver, far bigger than previous finds - including the Sutton Hoo burial site.

It may take more than a year to value the collection and, given its scale, the financial worth of the hoard cannot be estimated.nextpage