AN INCREASE in the number of detectorists unearthing historical artefacts has prompted a widening of the legal definition of treasure to allow museums to accumulate more items of historical significance.
Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson said some items have been lost into private ownership, rather than displayed publicly in museums, due to the current wording of the Treasure Act 1996.
Under the current definition, an item is treasure if it is at least 300 years old and made at least in part of precious metal, like gold or silver, or part of a hoard.
This will be amended to include all metals and to cover finds of 200 years old.
For Carlisle detectorists, Shirley and Kate Teasdale, it's a postive step towards further preservation.
"It can only really be a bonus, if the new legislation means objects of national importance end up in museums and are saved for future generations opposed to be exported out of the country and into private collections," Shirley said.
"Anything that's nationally important, the vast majority of detectorists, would love to see that item on display in a museum, safe and for everybody to see for a long-time to come."
Shirley has been a detectorist alongside her partner for the past five years, but her love of the hobby started at the age of 14 after a £5 'chance-find' of a detector at a car boot sale.
"What drew me to it was getting out in the fresh air with that whole anticipation of not knowing what you're going to find. I found my first coin, a penny from 1908. In terms of what we find metal detecting that's not particularly old, but I was so excited by it and got such a buzz I wanted to continue the hobby," she said.
The detectorist says the outskirts of Carlisle is a great place for exciting finds, due to the area being steeped in history, 'unrest and activity'.
"There's so much more still to learn, it's relatively untouched area considering the vast history that has been here.
"There's always that chance that you could come across something that rewrites history, that's why we do it - to come across that find.
"We're all really only temporary custodians of these items anyway, at least if there placed in a museum they'll be safe for the future," she said.
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