THE moment archaeologists discovered a series of Anglo Saxon graves in a Kent farmer's field has been relived at a coroner's court.

They were found in a field at Ringlemere, near the village of Woodnesborough, in Sandwich and were all probably women who lived in the late 5th or early 6th centuries.

Dr Andrew Richardson, finds liaison officer for Kent County Council, said: "It is a large cemetery with very deep graves."

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Coroner Rebecca Cobb heard that the excavations followed the discovery in 2001 by Cliff Bradshaw, from Broadstairs, of a rare and important find in the international world of archaeology.

The metal detector enthusiast unearthed the Ringlemere Gold Cup, which was declared a national treasure and is now on show at the British Museum.

He was convinced more discoveries were buried in the field and the Canterbury Archaeological Trust organised a series of digs in 2005 and 2006.

The inquest yesterday was told that eventually the Anglo Saxon cemetery was found and part of the contents, as well as chunks of earth, were sent to the British Museum for investigation.

Keith Parfitt, co-director of excavations at the trust, said he believed there were more Saxon graves yet to be discovered in the field.

Beads, glass beakers, brooches, a toilet set and ring fragments were among the items catalogued and from the excavations and the coroner decided the list of finds qualified as treasure.

The contents of the graves will go before, and be considered by, a special committee at the British Museum, and their worth will then be assessed.