A prolific Darlington metal detectorist has discovered a rare 400-year-old coin from the reign of Mary I in County Durham.

Mark McMullan has made a series of incredible finds in recent years from rare Charles I coins to historic cannonballs.

This autumn he has been out whenever he can and discovered many "interesting bits and bobs".

He has permission from farmers around the town to search on their fields and after two fruitless searches of one field near Manfield he struck lucky.

One find he is particularly proud of was his first ever Mary Ist Silver Groat from around 1553-54.

During the same search he also came across a French Napoleon 10 cent which had just popped up after a farmer had ploughed the field.

Mr McMullan said: "I thought I would post a few images of some other interesting 'bits & bobs' I have found lately including my first Mary 1st Silver Groat circa 1553-54 (the stylised 'm' is the give away).

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"Although there is not too much left of it as apparently Mary was so unpopular, people deliberately abused and degraded her coinage during her brief reign.

"Just 20 yards away, another lovely coin - a French Napoleon 10 Cent popped up from the ploughed earth.

"This coin was minted in the 1850s and it is another welcome addition to my collection."