A GLASGOW metal detectorist who only took up the hobby a year ago has made it through the semi-finals of a national competition.

Mary Wilson, a 51-year-old metal detectorist from Blairdardie, recently found a 1860 Queen Victoria gold sovereign coin.

The mother-of-two works for Glasgow City Council Social Work Services and just wanted to find something to fill her time now that her children are older.

She had always had a keen interest in history, an old box of penny coins – which her father had accumulated – and a desire to get out into the great outdoors. One year on, she has made a fantastic group of friends, improved her fitness and mental health, kept the countryside litter free and has a collection of historic coins to research.

Glasgow Times: Mary Wilson, from Glasgow, is a novice metal detectoristMary Wilson, from Glasgow, is a novice metal detectorist

Mrs Wilson said: “I started metal detecting about a year ago. Initially I went out by myself but had very little luck, so eventually I joined a special group of metal detectorists called Toddys Digs & Rallies.  It was here my love of metal detecting really began. 

“My first six months were spent digging up lots of nails, pieces of machinery with the odd old ‘toasted’ coin too. A toasted item means it’s in poor condition. However, slowly but surely I began to find the odd genuine ‘silver’ coin and loved researching the age and history of each. Two of my best finds include a King William silver coin from the 1700s and a 1860 Queen Victoria gold sovereign coin in Perthshire that had been hidden for 180 years. At the time, I was stiff from all my hard work digging but I still managed a celebratory cartwheel in the field as I was so delighted."

Glasgow Times: Mary Wilson's recent finds included Victorian coinsMary Wilson's recent finds included Victorian coins

She added: “It’s such a great hobby. It’s really social and I love meeting my fellow diggers each Sunday for some fun and banter. It’s also been a lovely way to get me exploring the great outdoors and visit places I wouldn’t otherwise go. We tidy as we go, keeping the countryside clean and safe. But it’s also fascinating. You soon begin to realise the depth of what amazing artefacts lie beneath our feet every day."

She has made it through to the semi-finals of Eventbrit'e Hobby Hero competition, which saw hundreds of entries from throughout the UK.

Launched in May, the competition aims to find Britain’s greatest hobbyist and help them share their pastime with others in an effort to get the nation connected again.

She added: “It's a relatively cheap hobby. I began digging with a cheap £250 Minelab Detector, but I have my eyes on a more expensive model. If I win the competition, I will definitely upgrade my equipment. I’d also like to buy a few more metal detectors so other people can try it for themselves.”

Semi-finalists have been chosen from various regions in the UK to reach the national final, and a panel of judges will announce the winner at the end of July.