i have been asked to get my father a set of binoculars and i dont know where to start its for when they go on walks for bird watching what should i look for up to about £50

cheers neil

I got mine from a company called 7dayshop.com. They are 10x42 waterproof / fog proof with neck strap and carry case - paid under £30 at the beginning of the year.
Great value for a first set of bins

10x50s are the optimum size to be held by hand without lots of shake, any bigger you need a tripod. The best (and lightest) to go for are usually 7x50s, they have a nice multiplication (7x) and let in plenty of light and have a good field of view at 50mm across.

I have recently been bought an excellent metal detector. can anyone advise me where to go in order to find roman/viking relics so I can retire and become a beachcomber?

Italy and Norway

Hi Neil, a mate of mine was a keen twitcher, he used a spotting scope. theres one here, click

K