A RING found on farmland in Gisburn, believed to be over 1,700 years old, has been ruled treasure by an inquest.

The small Roman silver finger-ring was discovered by Glyn Peak in May in a field at Shuttleworth Farm owned by John and Dorothy Falshaw.

The ring, thought to date from around the second or third century, will now be valued by experts at the British Museum in London.

And they will decide how much money is paid to Mr Peak and Mr and Mrs Falshaw for the find before handing it over to Lancashire Museum Service.

Mr Peak, from Gisburn, said today he couldn't believe his luck. I was using my metal detector and I found the ring towards the end of the day. I can't believe it.

"I didn't think the ring would be worth anything. I thought it would just be returned to me." According to Irene Moore, honorary secretary of Lancashire Archaelogical Society, Gisburn is very close to a large Roman fort at Ribchester. She said: "With that being there I'm not surprised that articles are discovered in this area."

The special hearing to decide the fate of the ring was conducted by East Lancashire coroner Michael Singleton, whose duties include ruling on whether finds qualify as treasure.

To pass the test a find must be more than 300 years old, have been hidden and be of good quality gold or silver.

The Shuttleworth Farm find passed all of the criteria and was therefore ruled as treasure trove.

Mr Singleton said: "Being more than 300 years old and being of silver I am satisfied that it is an item of treasure."