But archaeology enthusiast Roy Crick was lucky enough to unearth one of the rarest items found in Warwickshire.

The 75-year-old Arden Road resident came across a Bronze-age axe - estimated to be from between 700 and 900 BC - while digging with fellow members of the Coventry Heritage Metal Detectors Society earlier this year.

But the secret of where he found it remains with Mr Crick. He said: "I can't reveal where. It was at a Kenilworth farm."

He added: "I felt pretty excited - it is pretty rare to come across such things. It is in excellent condition and still has a sharp edge. I have been metal detecting for more than 20 years and I class this as my best find."

Mr Crick, who is retired but carries out voluntary work for the Waverley Day Centre, took the axe to the Birmingham Museum where it was authenticated and recorded. He would like it to be displayed in the Kenilworth Museum one day.

Birmingham Museum's finds liaison officer Duncan Slarke said: "It's by far the finest Bronze-age axe that has been recorded in Warwick- shire. You could almost cut your finger on the edge - it's that sharp. For it to be in such a good condition suggests that it was a new or nearly new one.

"We normally get people coming in with things they have found that are more than 300 years old - but this is closer to 3,000."

Mr Slarke said he was not qualified to put a price on the axe, but he added: "From an archaeological point of view, I can say it is very, very important.