Fifty years ago today the ancient burial mounds on Petersfield Heath were under threat from people armed with metal detectors.

The Petersfield Post of July 3, 1975, reported how steps to enforce laws protecting the mounds - known as tumuli - were being taken to stop these “grave-robbing treasure-hunters”.

Petersfield Historical Society member Dennis Haggard, of Sandy Close, had sounded the alarm after seeing a man take flint arrowheads from a tumulus partially destroyed when the golf course was built.

The man falsely claimed to have permission to make the excavations from the curator of Farnham Museum.

There are 21 Bronze Age tumuli on Petersfield Heath which were created around 3,500 years ago.

In 1975 there were two laws against interfering with them. There was an Act of Parliament prohibiting interference with ancient monuments - for which the maximum penalty was imprisonment or a fine, with the offender also charged for repairing any damage - and a Petersfield Town Council by-law.

The by-law said nobody could dig on any part of the Heath, with a maximum fine of £2. At the time, the Post cost 4p - a fiftieth of its price 50 years later - so applying the same inflation to the fine, the penalty would be £100 in 2025.

Moves were being made to raise it to £20 - or £1,000 at 2025 prices - which was the maximum allowed by the government half a century ago.

On July 7 Mr A Musty, southern England’s assistant inspector of ancient monuments, inspected the site with historical society chairman Mrs D Grainger, town mayor Mr K Hick and town council open spaces committee chairman Mr D Ismay.

A Hampshire County Council spokesman said this growth in “treasure hunting” was down to metal detector advertisements promising “rich rewards” and their cost being just £15, or £1 per day to hire - £750, or £50, at current prices.