Metal detectorist gets award for helping hundreds

Darren Wiles collected his award from Councillor Lesley Dedman (far right) alongside his family and Mayor of Bournemouth, George Farquhar (far left)

A volunteer metal detectorist who has reunited more than 300 lost items with their owners has been honoured by a council.

Darren Wiles, from Bournemouth, received the community award from the chair of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council on Tuesday.

He said he began detecting as a hobby in 2009 and it had now become "a public service" which he was contacted about daily.

"I love to help people and it's great to see their faces when you give things back," he said.

Maxine (right) and her daughter Poppy (left) were the 300th people helped by Mr Wiles, who recovered Poppy's ring

Mr Wiles works full-time for a software company but started detecting in the evenings out of a love for history.

He said he began finding Roman coins but then decided to use his hobby to help others.

Among the items he has successfully located are rings, watches, mobile phones, hearing aids and keys.

He said when people get the items back "it's really emotional".

"For the 300th person I helped, I found a ring for this 12-year-old girl," Mr Wiles said.

He added: "It was not valuable but it was one she bought with her mum on one of her shopping trips, so for her it was really sentimental.

"So it's never around the value of the item, it's always around what it means to the person."

After his 200th find, local artist Matthew Byrom, created a mural in Bournemouth, in honour of Mr Wiles

Mr Wiles received one of the council's Chairman Awards for 2025.

The Mayors of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole all nominated a person or group, and they were presented with certificates in recognition of work carried out in each local community.

Speaking at the presentation event at the civic centre, Mayor of Bournemouth George Farquhar described Mr Wiles as an "exemplar of selfless and skill in the assistance of others".

He added he "brings great joy and relief to so many, particularly as many losses are in the sand on our glorious beaches, and without his intervention would never be recovered".

After Mr Wiles' 200th find, local artist Matthew Byrom created a mural of him in Bournemouth.