Hundreds of metal detectorists descended on the Isle of Sheppey over the bank holiday weekend in search of buried treasure.

More than 320 intrepid explorers from as far as Wales, Scotland, Holland. Norway and Texas in the USA along with their families pitched tents, camper vans and caravans to create a temporary village in a field at Wall End Farm next to the Lower Road at Minster.

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The appropriately-named Adam Hunter, vice-chairman of Medway History Finders who organised the four-day rally, said on Friday: "We are really looking forward to it. None of these fields have been officially detected before.

"We have already found bronze arrow heads, a catapult bolt and a hammered coin from the reign of Henry III. I am confident we will unearth some gold before the bank holiday is over."

The detectorists, mainly men armed with top-of-the-range bleeping contraptions such as the popular Equinox 800, are expected to be searching 828 acres of 19 freshly-harvested fields owned by SW Attwood and Partners, until Monday lunch time.

All finds are logged and put on show in a marquee.

Mr Hunter, 58, a retired commercial fisherman from Thanet, said: "The dig has attracted detectorists of all ages. Our youngest is four and our eldest is in his 80s."

Video: Detectorists on Sheppey

The area, once invaded by Saxons and Vikings and also probably strewn with First and Second World War artefacts, is known to be the site of Roman burials. Henry VIII also had close links, visiting the nearby Shurland Hall in Eastchurch.

It is the third time Medway History Finders have staged rallies on the Island. They have been to Harty and in 2019 they took over fields on the outskirts of Eastchurch where they discovered a gold bishop's ring which is going on show at the Tower of London.

The not-of-profit organisation charges detectorists to take part and then makes a "substantial" donation after costs to local charities and the Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance.

It has not been all plain sailing, though. Increased traffic has put extra strain on the A2500 Lower Road which is the main route to Sheppey's tourist hotspots in Leysdown. The bank holiday has put additional pressure on the single carriageway.

One fed-up resident on Facebook insisted there should be a 'no right turn' sign as cars enter the field from Cowstead Corner roundabout and a 'no right turn' sign as they leave the field, which is usually used for a Saturday boot fair.

In a post directed at Swale and county councillor Cameron Beart, he stormed: "The 'in and out' traffic slows the Lower Road down to 10mph or to a standstill. You can spend millions on a cycle lane but you can't stop a landowner from causing an obstruction on a 60mph national speed limit road."

Among those hunting for treasure this weekend were friends David Griffin, a former truck driver from Rochester and Big Van Small World You-Tuber Mel Pettifer, 57, originally from Dartford but now living in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Mel confided: "Dave bought me an Equinox 800 for Christmas. And in return, I bought him the same model, too!"

The pair had been hoping to try them out on a trip of a lifetime to Australia but that was put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. So they are now putting the machines through their paces on Sheppey.

Dave said: "The beauty is that they work on multiple frequencies. When we go hunting for gold we switch them to 'prospector' mode which ignores other minerals."

There's a fair chance that if there be gold in them thar hills, it's going to be Dave and Mel who find it...