A treasure hunter who unearthed a hoard of ancient gold coins in Silsden has reissued his plea for it to stay in the area.

Jeffrey Walbank wants the treasure he found to be displayed at Keighley's Cliffe Castle Museum where it can go on public display for visitors to see.

Now he has received backing in his quest from Silsden parish council.

Mr Walbank used a metal detector to unearth the astonishing 2,000-year-old Celtic coins in a field near the town. It is one of the most valuable hoards of gold coins discovered in the North.

The 27 coins, in mint condition, date from the first half of the first century and have staggered experts. Also in the hoard was a Roman-era iron finger signet-ring with an emblem of an athlete which British Museum experts believe is unique.

Now Mr Walbank, a hairdresser, of Tufton Street, Silsden, has called on Bradford council and Silsden parish council to help bring the coins back to Cliffe Castle.

He told last Thursday's Silsden parish council meeting that the collection is currently being assessed by the British Museum. We approached Brit-ish Museum officials this week for their thoughts on the collection but they declined to comment.

However, it is thought the museum is unlikely to want to keep the coins.

"The collection will be known as the Silsden Treasure and it would be wonderful if it could be brought back here," says 49 year-old Mr Walbank. "It would be a one-off for the North of England because there is nothing like it in the area."

The hoard is made up of coins from three different British tribes - one based in the old British capital of Colchester and the other two from further north. How they found their way to Silsden - whether they were lost or buried - and to whom they belonged are still the subject of speculation. Mr Walbank, who admitted he was in a state of shock after finding the treasure, believes they were most likely buried in a container which rotted away and then the coins became disturbed.

Silsden parish councillor Lawrence Walton described it as a 'unique opportunity' and said Bradford council would be stupid to overlook it.

"It is an amazing find and it is a privilege for it to be connected with Silsden," he says. "We would be foolish not to support the idea of keeping it in the area."

Parish chairman Paul Brom-ley also backed the proposal by adding that the parish council would do anything possible to assist Bradford council in keeping the treasure in the district.

A spokesman for Bradford council's arts, museums and libraries service says: "We are waiting for a valuation on the collection before we will be able to consider what future steps may be taken by the council."

The coins are not Mr Walbank's first significant find. Three years ago he discovered four Bronze Age axe heads in the Aire Valley and as a 13-year-old he unearthed a neolithic axe head which was on display in Cliffe Castle for a number of years.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.