Following on from the thread on metal detecting, I had a site recently
on common land in Surrey that was producing large numbers of Roman
coins. One of the walkers who passed by must have seen this because,
within three days, the location was being advertised on a treasure
hunting website and shortly afterwards, of course, the site was raided
overnight.

What concerns me most, however, is that the harm done by some MD users
is largely being hidden by the favourable publicity being given to the
good being done by a few. For example the recent BBC programme on
treasure, the forthcoming BM exhibition on the same subject and the
Portable Antiquities scheme all in various degrees inevitably present
the positive side of metal detecting. Meanwhile our heritage continues
to suffer damage everyday at the hands of the majority (?) of
detectorists who either don't know or don't care about the loss that
they cause to our joint heritage.

The current system of uncontrolled metal detecting linked to the
voluntary (except for items of treasure) reporting of finds is certainly
an improvement on the past. But if we fail to point out that the bad
currently still outweighs the good, then politicians will be fall for
the temptation of doing nothing further to protect our heritage, on the
grounds that all appears to be well - when the reality is that it is
not.
David Graham