One spring morning back in 1868, a Mr Gilchrist was standing on the granite bridge in the fishing port of Helmsdale in the Scottish Highlands. Gazing down into the burn, he saw something shimmering in the water. It was gold! His discovery led to a gold rush on the Kildonan and Suisgill Burns. A shanty-town grew up for the prospectors and over fl5,000 worth of gold was recorded as having been taken from the burns. The actual sum was probably three times that amount. But in 18 months it was all gone. Or was it?
Alexander Frater sets out to discover exactly how much gold there is in Britain, talks to experts about its commercial possibilities, to the crofters who've actually found gold in the Sutherland hills and wades into the Kildonan burn to pan for gold himself. Producer JOHN KNIGHT (Revised repeat)