A magnet fisherman from Dorset has discovered dagger dating back to the 18th century.

Grañt Osborne, 39 from Blandford, found what is believed to be a Highland Dirk when out magnet fishing on the River Stour.

A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger, originally worn by soldiers in the Scottish Highlands from the sixteenth century onwards.

Dorset Echo: Magnet fishing involves using magnets to clear river beds, usually for rubbish and metal debris. Mr Osborne said that in the last two years that he has been magnet fishing, he has cleared over 20 tonnes of rubbish from the river.  

Mr Osborne said: “I’m very proud about this one. I do magnet fishing as a hobby mainly to clear the rubbish out of the water.

“I came down to the river, as I would a normal day, and set about my work when I came across this find.

“I knew it was a dagger by the shape of it, but I saw the brass and I thought- this must be special,” he added.

Dorset Echo: The blade is crafted from what Mr Osborne believes to be hand-forged steel, with the hilt and pommel made of brass or copper.

“I took it home and the rust fell right off the blade after a light brush,” Mr Osborne said.

He informed the Finds Liaison Officer immediately but is still waiting on confirmation of the dagger’s age due to a backlog stretching back before the pandemic.

Mr Osborne then took the dagger to weapon replica makers and experts at the Nothe Fort who said they believe the dagger to be a Highland Dirk dating between the 1700s and 1800s, likely naval use.

Dorset Echo: This is the first time Mr Osbourne has found an artefact in the river with this much history.

He said: “I’ve found military knives with Blandford being an army town, as well as grenades, but nothing this old.

“I never used to be interested in history, but every time I find something I have to research it and I become a history buff until the next find comes along.”

He went on to reveal that he hopes the find will one day end up in the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester. He said: “That’s the top of my bucket list and I hope to be able to do this when it’s been evaluated.”

Another magnet fisherman, Stephen Hill, recently discovered a sword believed to hundreds of years old in the River Stour.

Mr Osborne is the creator of the Facebook page Finder’s Keeper’s, where you can keep up to date with all his finds from Magnet Fishing.