A man has been arrested following the recovery of an important haul of artefacts stolen from the Canterbury Archaeological Trust stores.

The 36-year-old is being held at Canterbury police station while inquiries continue.

His arrest follows a tip-off which led police and archaeologists to a derelict house in Military Road last Thursday. where around 1,500 items, including Anglo Saxon beads, metal work, pins and carved bone items were discovered.

Trust members say they are "overjoyed" to get back most of the stolen finds which are of huge historical significance to the city.

They were taken when thieves broke into the stores in Kingsmead in January.

Police Sergeant Darren Walshaw from the Rural Task Force added: “We are delighted to be able to reunite the trust with the majority of their artefacts. These are irreplaceable pieces of heritage but we will continue to work to find those responsible for the theft and to also find those items still missing.”

But not all the haul has been recovered and many items used in its outreach educational work, including replica bronze axes and coins, remain missing.

Police say they made the arrest following a report of a man acting suspiciously at a building in Sturry Road, Canterbury at 6.24pm yesterday.

A man, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and remains in custody.

Anyone with information regarding the theft should call police on 01843 222289, quoting reference ZY/4200/18.