TWENTY silver coins thought to be more than 2,000 years old have been found scattered in Herefordshire fields.

The coins were found by metal detector hobbyists Kim Claxton and Mark Davies in three fields near Leintwardine, in the north of the county, Hereford Coroners Court heard.

Edward Harley, the landowner, had given the pair permission to search his land.

At an inquest to find out whether the coins were treasure, Herefordshire assistant coroner Roland Wooderson said they were Roman denarii.

After the items were registered by the British Museum, it said that the coins, found in October 2019, appeared to be treasure.

To be classified as such, Mr Wooderson said the coins had to be more than 300 years old and have a metal content of more than 10 per cent.

Classing the find as treasure, Mr Wooderson said the denarii dated from the first century BC and second century AD.