Just think. This 50 Grand could have been wasted on helping Colchester's homeless, the elderly struggling to heat their homes, or those unable to put a square meal on the table.

How much is this bull$hit costing? Who's picking up the tab for this 22-carat garbage? It really is time for 'archaeology' to be controlled by an independent commission.

Hi Roman:
Can't fault your reasoning.

Absolutely disgraceful that its taken four years to get a coroner's decision.

"Let right be done," is the famous legal phrase. And it was. It's about time the BM had its wings clipped.

One might also imagine that they donned protective clothing to protect them from contaminating the turds?

Hi Lee:
I suppose you could say those arkies were simply going through the motions?

Oh dear's right

Lee. Then again, archaeology per se ought to be grateful that BP is backing what they do. Personally, I think BP's dosh is better spent, not on ungrateful archaeologists and archaeology, but on something more worthwhile like Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital for instance.

It should never be referred to, or described as 'illegal metal detecting'. Factually, unless it is established that anything was taken, then it's attempted theft by thieves armed with metal detectors. The NCMD, or local clubs, should take the local press to task over this.

Thanks for that Muddy. My particular bitch is that these people are dubbed 'nighthawks' they really ought to called after what they are...

Thieve armed with metal detectors.

Criminals, who when nabbed deserve all they get.

Wow! Absolutely amazing. This excavation has to be unique. There's hardly any mention of it being 'so exciting', 'history changing', or importantly, exactly how much the professional unit charged the local council who probably had no say in the matter.

Lee: Ooops! Pi$$ed again!

and when it's an arkie on the other end of the phone asking about metal detecting,...

should have read...

...and when it's a journo on the other end of the phone asking about metal detecting,...

Hi Lee: It's not so much the media themselves who are to blame, but the archaeologists who feed them the bull$hit for whatever article is in the process of being written. It may be that the journo involved doesn't know where to find the relevant info; poor journalism. Again for example, if the artic...

We need to to call out such descriptions at every turn (NCMD please note!!) For example, if someone bursts into a a convenience store brandishing a sawn-off shotgun, and it was reported in the media the felon was a clay-pigeon shooter, how would the clay-pigeon shooting community react? Does it bran...

Hi Lee:
It amazes me that this person should be described as a 'Detectorist'. Whoever this person is, should rightly be called a 'Thief.' More properly perhaps, as a ' Thief armed with a metal detector.'