A 1,000-YEAR-OLD piece of silver jewellery, discovered on Hampshire farmland was declared treasure trove by an inquest yesterday.

The Anglo-Saxon strap was found on farmland near Bishop's Waltham by metal detector user Michael Gilham from West End.

The inquest in Winchester was told Mr Gilham had been randomly searching the freshly-ploughed field when he discovered the small silver object, buried four inches below the surface.

Mr Gilham said: "I knew straight away it was an Anglo-Saxon strap end. I have seen some very similar ones in a treasure magazine."

The intricate piece of jewellery, which is 83 per cent silver and weighs four grams, is engraved with the head of an animal with elongated ears.

The value of the piece will be determined by the Treasure Valuation Committee, a panel of independent experts at the British Museum and Mr Gilham will receive the market value.