Four gold medieval rings which lay buried in a field in East Sussex for 600 years have been discovered by a group of people with metal detectors.

The rings, which were in near-perfect condition and had hardly been worn, are engraved with romantic mottos.

The find, in a field in Lewes whose location is being kept secret, is one of the most significant in Sussex.

“It was incredible to have four of these beautiful rings together,” said Sussex Finds Officer Liz Wilson.

Billy Piggott was one of the detectors who found the rings “Just the one ring would not be that significant but the four together is really strange.”

The treasure was found by a group of amateur archaeologists from Bexhill and Hastings.

“I broke open the clod of soil and at first wasn’t sure what it was,” said Billy Piggott, one of the detectors.

“It was quite shiny and as I rubbed the dirt off and saw what it was it was just amazing.”

Finders of gold and silver objects over 300 years old have to report them under the Treasure Act 1996.

The rings were handed in under the Portable Antiquities Scheme and are being valued at the British Museum.

The friends who found them plan to go on detecting and hope to find out who the rings belonged to and why they were there.

“It is really exciting and I like to think that one day we can walk into a museum and say we found them,” said Stephen Cook.