The man with the metal detector moved along the beach in carefully measured lines. He stopped at every beep to dig into the sand with a trowel.
On one sweep he brushed my toes, on the next he stepped on the towel of the woman next to me.
‘Found much?’ she asked him.
‘A few coins. There was a party here last night. You’d be surprised how many people drop their money when they’re dancing.’
I searched all my pockets and on my way off the beach I buried seven one-pence coins as deep as I could in the sand.
