Councillors look set to introduce new guidelines to stop treasure hunters taking home ancient relics found on council land.

The council has been inundated with requests from archaeologists, people with metal detectors and local historians wanting to search for treasure.

Hastings Borough Council is expected to approve plans to control the reporting of archaeological finds at a meeting of the cabinet tonight.

The move is being considered to protect the heritage of the town and states anyone who finds any artefact on council land must take it to Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in Cambridge Road.

A council spokesman said: "Artefacts that are discovered may have a monetary value, but this is less important than the potential information they can provide about the town's heritage.

"The objects have a continuing importance if their long-term accessibility is assured as part of a museum collection, where they will be available for future research and study."

A number of sites in the borough are listed as being of archaeological interest and are already protected.

These include the East Hill and Hastings Castle area, where it is an offence to carry a metal detector or remove any finds without permission from the Secretary of State.

If the new guidelines were introduced, it would be an offence not to report any findings on these council-owned sites.

Andrew Woodcock, from the Archaeology Department at East Sussex County Council, said: "I think the guidelines are a good idea. Things found on council land are public property and should remain accessible to the public.

"These regulations are good because they cover everyone from treasure hunters and metal detectors to professional archaeologists.

"It will help to ensure these things found, which are relevant to our heritage and knowledge, are put in the public domain."

Archaeological digs in the Hastings area have unearthed many rich relics dating back from Roman times and also flints from the Stone Age.