HUNDREDS of Roman coins unearthed in a Hampshire field three years ago are about to go on display for the first time.

People will be able to view the ancient artefacts when the award-winning St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery in Lymington re-opens tomorrow after a major facelift.

The coins were found buried in a pot at nearby Boldre in 2014.

St Barbe raised enough money to buy and display them following the success of a an appeal launched by TV historian Dan Snow, who lives in the New Forest.

The third century coins will be on show when Lord Montagu of Beaulieu opens the refurbished museum.

A £1.78 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has enabled St Barbe to complete a raft of improvements, including larger galleries, a new cafe and a better entrance.

A museum spokeswoman said celebrations on the opening day would include a treasure trail competition and other family activities.

She added: “This is the first chance local people will get to see some of the Boldre Hoard, a treasure trove of 1,608 Roman coins that were unearthed in a field near Lymington in 2014 and brought back to the town after a major fundraising campaign.

“The inaugural exhibition in the art gallery is a stunning show by the sculptor Geoffrey Dashwood, with an interpretation by the TV presenter Chris Packham.”

Builders are still putting the finishing touches the new-look museum, a former school at the junction of New Street and Emsworth Road.

St Barbe’s director, Mark Tomlinson, said: “The museum and art gallery has been transformed thanks to the generous support of the Heritage Lottery Fund.“We are mindful that ultimately it is national lottery players who made this possible.

“In acknowledgement and thanks to them, our opening day will offer admission by donation only. Please come along, donate what you can afford and enjoy yourselves.”

The Roman coins, said to be worth about £7,500, were found buried a few miles from Lymington.

They were taken to the British Museum and declared archaeological treasure by a coroner.

The museum wanted to retain some of the rarer artefacts but St Barbe was determined to keep the collection together and put it on show to the public.

However, it had to raise tens of thousands of pounds to purchase the hoard, carry out vital restoration work and build a secure display area.