ONE of Flintshire’s most historic artefacts should not be brought back to the county - because we could not look after it.

That's according to councillors in Mold, who have rejected an MP's call for the Gold Cape to be returned to its home town.

The 3,400-year-old Bronze Age cape was discovered by workmen digging for stone at Bryn yr Ellyllon in 1833.

In a parliamentary debate earlier this week Plaid Cymru parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd argued the precious find was part of the Welsh “collective memory” and should come back from the British Museum, where it is currently held.

But Mold community leaders said they did not want the cape back on a permanent basis.

Mold mayor Cllr Tony Cattermoul said the cape should only be brought back on special occasions.

He told the Leader: “I would like to see it brought back to Mold occasionally for exhibitions but I think it’s such an extraordinary artefact that it’s of national importance and its proper place is the British Museum.”

Mold town councillor Andrea Mearns said the town simply did not have the facilities to house the precious find.

She added: “It has to have 24-hour security so if it ever did come back to Mold, say at Clwyd Theatr Cymru, then it would have to have that.

“But I think it would be good if it toured. It is in the British Museum because people can see it and it is secure there but it would be good to come here occasionally.

“It came up to Wrexham and it had a tremendous turnout. It did very well."

Cllr Mearns said the town's library houses a lifesize replica of the cape.

After its restoration, the cape was found to be too small to fit the body of a grown king or warrior as previously thought and is most likely to have belonged to a slim woman or a child. It has recently been featured in the BBC series The History Of The World In 100 Objects.

What do you think?  Should the Gold Cape return to Flintshire?  Let us know by leaving a comment below.