A Darlington metal detectorist has found a 700-year-old silver coin in a field outside the town.

Mark McMullan has been making incredible finds around the town for years but this coin stands out from the rest as a "little beauty".

He has permission from farmers around the town to search their fields and he has been on a lucky streak.

In recent months, he has made several interesting finds including a Roman coin and a rare King Charles I coin.

Mark described how he found his Edward I/II coin in the "stubble fields" around Darlington.

(Image: Mark McMullan)

He said: "How about this historic little beauty, from my latest trip out on the stubble fields around Darlington.

"Collectors of Edward (I, II & III) 'Long Cross' silver pennies (circa 1279-1344) will know that these rare beauties are notoriously difficult to identify with many different variations and classes - a great source of frustration to metal detectorists like myself who have been lucky enough to find them.

"Unfortunately, my latest treasure is heavily clipped and worn but looking at the shape of the crown and the mint mark (London), David Greenhalgh a keen-eyed numismatic has identified this coin as an example of 'Group 10cf' (I told you it was complicated).

(Image: Mark McMullan)

"This would date this silver coin between 1305-10 placing it late in the reign of Edward I and into the early years of Edward II."

Edward I is considered one of the most successful English monarchs and was one of Scotland's biggest adversaries.

Through his military campaigns against the Scots he became known as the 'Hammer of the Scots'.

His son Edward II had a far less distinguished reign and was decisively defeated by Robert the Bruce of Scotland in 1314.

He was later deposed, imprisoned and murdered at Berkeley Castle.

For those wanting further information, a detailed classification guide can be found here.