THE oldest golden treasure in Essex has been rescued and is set to be displayed - all thanks to the public and Chelmsford museum.

In 2016, a metal detectorist was searching a ploughed field in the Danbury when his device alerted him to metal nearby.

Carefully removing the earth, he revealed something incredible: a rolled-up strip of shining gold.

Following an inspection at the British Museum, it turned out to be a diadem - a type of crown - made from 95 per cent gold, dating to the very beginnings of the Bronze Age.

If it was unwound, the diadem would go around someone’s head, shining across their brow.

The museum launched a crowdfunding campaign, aptly titled Diadems Are Forever, to raise £3,000 – the cost of buying, cleaning, conserving, interpreting and displaying the golden treasure and the total has now been reached.

Susan Sullivan, cabinet member for Chelmsford Museum, said: “As soon as Chelmsford Museum heard about the diadem, we knew that it absolutely had to be acquired for public display.

“Such an incredible piece, steeped in history and of incredible importance in understanding our area during the Bronze Age, could not be allowed to disappear into a private collection.”

Throughout October, donations poured in from residents, organisations, parish councils, charities and historical groups and on Friday, the campaign reached its target.

The achievement was thanks to a donation from Little Baddow Parish Council, who generously gave £300 to save this important symbol of their area’s history.

Parish Councillor Peter Irvine said, “Little Baddow Parish Council are pleased to give their support to the Museum appeal for purchase of the 4,000-year-old diadem which was found within our area.”

The diadem will now be acquired by the museum, sent for further analysis, and then cleaned and prepared for public display.