See the best of museum's historic finds

And the evidence of that success can be seen in a new exhibition at Littlehampton Museum featuring many of the artefacts brought in over the past couple of years.

Roman and Saxon pottery, fragments of mediaeval jewellery and buckles, centuries-old coins and modern-day toy cars are among the items which have been taken along to sessions held at the museum by Liz Wilson, finds liaison officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Most were unearthed by metal detectorists, but some had been lying around in people's homes for years, until they spotted the opportunity to find out more about their mystery object.

One of the most impressive finds in the display, which continues until January 28, is a gold Celtic stater, found by an enthusiast on the Downs near Patching.

The scheme helps by encouraging people to go through the proper channels to have their finds identified, rather than sell them off through a private dealer. Historians can now build up a much fuller picture of the area's past thanks to the ever-growing number of artefacts reported to the scheme.

Rolf Zeegers, curator of Littlehampton Museum, said: "Sussex is now the third best county in the UK for the number of archaeology finds being reported. We now have a number of items in our collection thanks to the scheme, including some which have been declared treasure trove at inquests, and had to be valued by the British Museum."

Some of the best of the finds are now on view in the museum's Hearne Room, along with more information about how the scheme works.

Liz Wilson visits Littlehampton Museum every two months to examine artefacts. For more information about her visits, telephone the museum on 01903 738100.