Iron Age treasure finally sees light of day

FOUR gold Iron Age neckbands found by a safari park keeper on his first outing with a metal detector go on public display tomorrow.

The torcs, which date from between the first and third centuries BC, were discovered last September in a field in Stirlingshire.

David Booth, 35, who tends lions and tigers at Blair Drummond Safari Park, was only seven paces from his car when his 240 device indicated metal 6in below the surface.

The treasure is the most important hoard of Iron Age gold found in Scotland and could be worth up to 1 million.

It will be on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh for three weeks, until 10 February, before it is returned to the museum's Treasure Trove unit for further assessment.

Mr Booth bought his detector online five days before he made his discovery.

Previously, he had tried out the device by "detecting" cutlery in his kitchen.

Dr David Caldwell, of the Scottish Treasure Trove Unit, said: "You couldn't make this story up. There hasn't been a find like this in Scotland for more than 100 years."