Archaeologists are once again hoping to find a treasure trove in Otterton this weekend.

A team from the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is inviting the public to bring along any items ranging from old coins and pieces of worked flint to shards of pottery or metal artefacts, and have them identified and explained at Otterton Mill.

Advice will also be offered, by the local finds officer, Danielle Wooton, on issues relating to the Treasure Act.

The visit is part of a nationwide programme run by the museum, with a mission of identifying and recording archaeological discoveries.

Every year, thousands of objects are discovered, many by metal-detector users – but also by people out walking, gardening, renovating their home or digging a ditch.

More than 170 people turned up to last year’s event, and Mill owner Caroline Spiller said: “The most exciting find was an ancient quern or milling stone, dating from Roman times, unearthed by a local farmer while ploughing his fields over 20 years ago.”

Children will also have the opportunity to meet a Roman soldier in full battle gear, and hear his tales from the battlefield. Entry is free, and it will run from 11am to 3pm this Sunday, September 11.