Anglo-Saxon bowl found in field sells for almost £40k

Chris Ulliott found the Anglo-Saxon bowl while metal detecting in Ryedale, North Yorkshire in February

A rare Anglo-Saxon bowl found by a metal detectorist in North Yorkshire has fetched £36,400 at auction, beating expectations.

Chris Ulliott found the relic, which he initially mistook for a "rusty old bucket", while taking part in an organised dig in Ryedale in February.

The almost-complete hanging bowl - described by Timeline Auctions as "excessively rare" - sold on Tuesday.

It had been expected to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000.

Mr Ulliott, 36, a married father-of-two from North Ferriby in East Yorkshire, previously told the BBC his find was "pretty special."

Timeline Auctions describe the bowl as "excessively rare"

The copper-alloy bowl was discovered in a farmer's field about 2ft (0.6m) below the surface.

Mr Ulliott took up metal detecting during the first Covid lockdown in 2020 to make "exercise more interesting", and said he had previously only found "the odd Roman and medieval coin".

The professional photographer was planning to split the proceeds of the sale with the landowner, spending his share on a new camera.