Car thieves drive off with archaeologist's prehistoric treasures.

AN ARCHAEOLOGIST has appealed for the safe return of prehistoric artefacts stolen with his car from outside a hotel.

Liverpool University graduate Mark Olly had parked outside the Wellington Hotel on Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham, at about 4pm on Tuesday ahead of a talk on druids and Celtic history. But within minutes, the dark blue Nissan Micra - registration C459 JTX - was taken, leaving him without props to illustrate his lecture to members of the Pagan Association.

Electrical goods, including radio microphones, an overhead projector and amplifiers worth about pounds 4, 000 were also taken with about pounds 300-worth of books.

Mr Olly, from Warrington, said the resale price of the archaeological items was negligible but they were distinctive.

``If anyone tries to sell them one Bay, I'll spot them, '' the 42-year-old said.

The items include a small cabinet with five compartments, each containing an axe from the Stone Age.

A replica of a 750BC bronze sword, with a distinctive brass discoloration on the blade, was also taken as was a silver case containing objects dating from Anglo Saxon, Viking and Medieval times. One was a rare Anglo-Saxon purse hoop found in the Liverpool area.

Mr Olly set up and runs CWP Archaeology (Celtic Warrington Project) documenting all prehistoric and Dark Age remains in Cheshire and south Lancashire and is also affiliated to West Cheshire College and Chester University College.

He said: ``It's taken about 10 years to put it together.

``It's not the be all and end all but I do a lot of work with schools and members of the public and I use it specifically for that.

``I'm down to a carrier bag's worth of stuff. ''