The Port of London Authority, which owns the river bank along with the Crown Estate, has ordered a clampdown as treasure hunting has soared in popularity.

Previously anyone could look for fragments of the past, ranging from Roman coins to Delftware pottery, provided they did not scrape or dig the surface to retrieve them.

Under the clampdown, any form of searching for objects washed up by the tides is prohibited unless the mudlarks hold a permit, which costs £32 for a day or £75 for three years.

PLA spokesman Martin Garside said there was "worry within the archaeological community" that amateur treasure seekers were failing to report significant finds.

He called the new rules, which stress the potential risks, were "an important clarification" to ensure people take relevant precautions such as checking the tides and wearing sensible footwear and gloves.

But the move dismayed some mudlarks - the Victorian name for impoverished children and adults who scavenged the washed up debris for anything to sell.

Ted Sandling, whose new book, London In Fragments, details his passion for amateur archaeology, said the new requirements "unfairly penalise casual mudlarkers".

He added: "I started as a weekend mudlark, going down to the river serendipitously when I saw the tide was out. I applied for a permit when I began to take it seriously, after around a decade of doing it once or twice a year.

"My path is now being closed off to others."

Flickr follower Stuart Williams writes:

To read the complete article, see:
Mudlarks on Thames told to get £32 permits to save heritage(www.standard.co.uk/news/london/mudlarks-on-thames-told-to-get-32-permits-to-save-heritage-a3412266.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
VICTORIA CROSS MEDAL FOUND IN THAMES RIVER(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n47a17.html)