Treasure hunter Jay Howe is thousands of pounds richer today after unearthing more than 4,000 Roman coins.

The fantastic 1,700-year-old hoard, discovered just north of Shoreham, has been valued by experts at £12,000.

After giving the landowner half and making a donation to the West Sussex Historical Search Society which he runs, Jay, 34, will pocket £4,000.

Jay, of South Farm Road, Worthing, said: "It's absolutely fantastic news. It was the find of a lifetime and I'm delighted.

"I'm not in it for the money, though. The prestige and kudos you get from this sort of find is what is important."

Jay, a former soldier and a treasure hunter for more than 20 years, was looking for Canadian Army Second World War shells with his pals from the society when he came across the find a mile-and-a-half north of Shoreham.

Within 15 minutes he had unearthed 15 coins. During the next ten days he found a hoard of 4,105.

Father-of-three Jay took the coins, dating from between AD238 and AD274, to Worthing Museum.

Curator Dr Sally White registered them with the British Museum, where they were cleaned.

Now the Marlipins Museum in Shoreham is trying to raise the £12,000 needed to purchase the collection.

Dr White said: "Hopefully, they will get some help with grants. It will make a really good exhibit at the Marlipins."

Jay added: "Coins from this period are relatively common nationwide so the British Museum wasn't that bothered. But they are of major local significance.

"It was a time of unrest in the Roman Empire and especially in Britain. It will be nice for people in the Shoreham area to see something of their heritage on display at the Marlipins."

Jay wants to spend most of his £4,000 on new metal detecting equipment.

He said: "It would be nice to get some state-of-the-art stuff to use so I can carry on the hobby as best I can."