A 17th-century gold ring unearthed on the banks of Loch Lomond by a metal detector is set to fetch £10,000 when it goes under the hammer.

The gold armorial ring was found by a woman from Blackpool, Lancashire while out combing the shoreline at Duck Bay near Balloch, West Dunbartonshire.

The ring, believed to date from between 1640 and 1680, once belonged to a Catholic courtier of James II from Suffolk.

The finder, Michelle Vall, started metal detecting two years ago to help combat her panic attacks which stopped her leaving her home.

While on a trip to Loch Lomond last November she struck gold with the discovery of the ring engraved with a family crest.

Michelle, a teaching assistant, contacted Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) auctioneers, who discovered that the ring belonged to the Colman family of Brent Eleigh, Suffolk, who used the arms on the bezel of the ring from 1598.

Michelle said: "We were enjoying the peace and relaxation of our wonderful hobby, finding the usual ring pulls, tractor pieces and miscellaneous metal objects.

"So when I unearthed the ring, which was close to the surface, I knew straight away that it was something special.

"It shone with a distinct bright yellow colour as I carefully lifted it out of the dark muddy hole, where it had waited for at least 350 years.

"My calm mind changed to one of excitement as I shouted Tony over, he was surprised to see the ring lying in the palm of my hand."

The ring is not Michelle's first find since taking up the hobby. In December 2017, an extremely rare gold coin she had discovered sold for £40,800 at auction.

Nigel Mills, antiquities specialist at DNW, said: "The Colman seal ring is an excellent example of a high status ring of the period, of which there are only a very limited number surviving in this condition.

"Metal detectorists like Michelle have contributed vastly to our knowledge by finding treasures that would have otherwise been unknown to exist."

The ring will be auctioned at Dix Noonan Webb in London on September 10.