Gold hoard seen by 40,000 people

The hoard will be displayed in Birmingham until 13 October

More than 40,000 people have already queued up to see the UK's largest haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure.

The collection of 1,500 gold and silver pieces has been on display at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery since 25 September.

It was found last month on a Staffordshire farm by a man using a metal detector.

The items are only on display at the museum until 13 October, after which they will be sent away to be valued.

Experts have indicated the hoard could be worth a "seven-figure sum".

Three councils - Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham - have appealed for donations to keep the haul in the area.

All three authorities have said they plan to apply for grants from public bodies and local businesses and appeal for public donations to buy the hoard from the Crown.

Long queues

The treasure was found last month by 55-year-old Terry Herbert, of Burntwood, Staffordshire.

Officials at Birmingham Museum said they were preparing themselves for the busiest weekend since the gold was put on display.

The museum is being kept open until 2300 BST on Saturday to allow as many people as possible to see the treasure.

Museum bosses said the exhibition had proved so popular some people were facing queues of more than three hours and urged those coming to see it to wear "appropriate clothing" for standing outside for long amounts of time.