THE British Museum has been unable to identify an artifact found near Stanton-By-Dale as treasure, an inquest heard.

The gold strip could not be dated to earlier than 1709 – the required age of an object to be classed as treasure.

Louise Pinder, Deputy Coroner at Derby and South Derbyshire Court, said: "Although it is probably ancient metal we have been unable to date the piece to before 1709, therefore we cannot identify the piece as treasure."

A white metal fragment found in the Melbourne area has also proved impossible to identify as treasure.