A MEMBER of a Worcestershire metal detecting group found one of England's largest golden nuggets.

Richard Brock, who is a member of Droitwich metal detector group KC Rally, found the expensive item on a farm in the Shropshire Hills.

KC Rally decided to organise the expedition in Shropshire, and despite the group's experience, none of them had ever discovered an item like it.

The metal lump has been named 'Hiro's Nugget' and has been estimated to fetch £30,000 at auction.

Bromsgrove Advertiser: It has been called Hiro’s Nugget.It has been called Hiro’s Nugget. (Image: SWNS)It's believed to be the biggest find of its kind on English soil. 

Mr Brock said: "I have been detecting since 1989 and decided to join the trip as a similar previous one to Australia was cancelled during the pandemic.  

"So I drove three-and-a-half hours to Shropshire and I actually arrived about an hour late, thinking I'd missed the action. 

"Everyone there had all this up-to-date kit and I bowled up with three old machines, and one of them packed in there and then.  

"At first, I just found a few rusty old tent pegs with this backup detector, which had a fading screen display.

Bromsgrove Advertiser: The golden nugget.The golden nugget. (Image: SWNS)"But after only 20 minutes of scanning the ground, I found this nugget buried about five or six inches down in the ground. 

"I was perhaps a bit too honest and started showing people, and then all of a sudden, I had swarms of other detectorists scanning the same area."

Keith Campbell, who owns Droitwich Glass, and Adrian Harris created K C Rally five years ago to bring like-minded detectorists together.

Mr Campbell said: "If it weren't for KC Rally, then the event would not have happened, and the nugget would not have been found. 

"The find was the luck of the draw."

Auctioneers Mullock Jones are offering the nugget for sale in a timed auction that began last weekend and runs until April 1.

The estimated value is £30,000.

Ben Jones, of the auctioneers, said: "We are expecting considerable interest in this item. It is a rare opportunity to acquire a stunning golden nugget.

"We are offering it as a single item to online bidders from Friday, March 15, and ending at 6pm on April 1."