It has long been said what is one man's trash is another man's treasure but for one archaeology enthusiast that old saying became true.

What Steve Tomlinson originally thought was a "bit of tat" is actually a leather shoe aged between 960 and 1,002 years, a carbon dating has revealed.

Mr Tomlinson, from Birchington, made the discovery while searching in the Thames Estuary last August.

The father-of-two had to take a second glance to realise the object poking out of the mud flats may have been of historical significance.

Speaking to KentOnline's sister paper Thanet Extra in October, Mr Tomlinson said: "I was out and about just up that area and it was sticking out of a bit of clay mud so I pulled it out.

"I first thought it was a bit of tat but the history of the Thames goes through all the ages so I put the call out to archaeologist and groups and they said 'oh my God preserve it straight away."

The 47-year-old put the leather moccasin-style slipper into a bag which was then placed into natural water to stop the shoe from deteriorating.

In November, the shoe was sent off to be carbon dated at a specialist unit in Scotland, as several archaeologists had been unable to pin-point its true age.

The results remarkably reveal, with a 95.4% probability, that the shoe is from around 1017-1059AD, within the Anglo-Saxon/ Viking period.

Mr Tomlinson says he "can't quite believe" the outcome.

"It is a rare find and amazingly it is still in superb preserved condition, probably due to the fact it was very well preserved in clay along with the sea, keeping it constantly waterlogged.

"It is so well preserved that the original toe and heel marks can be seen.

"It just goes to show you never know what lies beneath.

"I am over the moon with the result."

The shoe will soon, Mr Tomlinson hopes, be on display in a museum.

He added: "There is museum interest at the moment, from a well known museum.

"It will then be conserved properly and shown for everybody to enjoy."