A KEEN metal detectorist has spoken out for the first time after finding a hoard of Roman coins.

Dad-of-five Lee Cresswell from Barrow found the Roman coins near Rampside in 2019.

He is a keen metal detectorist, who has been doing this as a hobby for about three years now.

The coins date from AD 70 to AD 171 and cover the reigns of emperors Vespasian, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius.

“I have found many items from the Roman, Saxon, Bronze ages and Viking items, all local finds.”

Mr Cresswell explained he always gains the farmer’s permission before going on land and farmers are always interested in his finds.

An agreement is then made whereby the value of any items will be split equally between him and the landowner.

“To gain landowners' permission, we phone and speak to the farmer and arrange a meet and greet to introduce ourselves before we get permission to go on their land,” he said.

“All of my farmers are quite interested in the history of their land and are interested in the finds I get.

“We have an understanding that anything of value is split 50/50.”

Although the Romans were known to sail the coastline, it was not known if they actually settled on the Furness peninsula.

Sabine Skae from the Dock Museum in Barrow said a wealthy Roman must have been living there to bury the coins.

“This is quite exciting,” said Ms Skae.

She said such collections from that era are common across the former Roman Empire.

But such a find has never been made before on the Furness Peninsula.

Mr Cresswell revealed his children follow their dad’s hobby, with daughter Brianna assisting in cleaning any finds while son Dale “is forever asking to use my detector and will often be found digging up our garden!”