A suspected Bronze Age sword with a gold hilt that may be up to 4,000-years-old has been uncovered on the site of a new community football pitch.

Diggers moved into the site in Carnoustie, Angus, in Scotland after a collection of relics were unearthed while workmen began laying foundations for the new sports field.

Work to the playing fields has now been halted while archaeologists scour the site.

Early excavations have revealed a trove of ancient artefacts, which the archaeologists believe could date back thousands of years.

Earlier today experts from GUARD Archaeologists discovered what appears to be a sword with a gold hilt, or handle, dating back to the Bronze Age.

Due to the fragile nature of the find it has to be specially lifted out in order to conserve it for experts to examine in a laboratory.

Chief archaeologist Alan Hunter Blair said: 'We're going to try and lift it today by block lifting it. It will be more carefully excavated in lab conditions.

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