A search has begun to find the family of a soldier who was honoured for his heroics during the First World War.

Private Thomas Davey was awarded a bronze victory medal during the conflict, when he fought as part of the Bedfordshire Regiment.

Last month the medal was found by metal detecting enthusiast Tim Chittock while he was indulging in his hobby on a farm in Diss, Norfolk.

Now Mr Chittock wants to reunite the medal with the family of Pte Davey, 90 years after he fought for his country.

Mrs Chittock's wife Carol said: "My husband is a very keen metal enthusiast, and he was just out one day when he come across this.

"The medal is very worn because it has been in the ground for so long. It was hard to make out what was written on it."

Mr Chittock, who is aged 70, was unable to read the full inscription when he found the medal. But after contacting the regiment, which is now part of the 3rd East Anglian Regiment, they pieced together that it was awarded to Pte Chittock.

The words 'The great war for civilisation 1914-1919' are written on one side of the medal, and '10126 Pte Davey' on the reverse.

Mrs Chittock said: "Pte Davey was with the First Battalion Bedfordshire. He may well have been from Bedfordshire, but we don't even know that for certain.

"We researched on the internet and contacted the regiment, but we could not find out any more about what happened to him after the war.

"Apparently the regiment were briefly bivouaced in Diss, but I don't know at what point that was during the war. My husband also found some other items from the regiment on the farmland, including some lapels with 'Bedfordshire' written on them.

"Pte Davey's family might not even know that he won a medal, so hopefully we can reunite them with it."

Do you have any information on Private Davey? If so, email Ben Raza by clicking on his blue byline at the top of this story.