The secrets uncovered from 'a Manchester not a lot of people see'

The fascinating hobby of mudlarking has seen a massive surge in popularity over the past few years. In fact, the pastime has become so popular in London now, authorities have stopped issuing permits to mudlark on the foreshore of the River Thames due to the overwhelming numbers of people wanting to do so.

For those who don't know, mudlarking involves digging in the mud near rivers for interesting or historical objects, usually when tides are low. The original Victorian mudlarkers of the past once scavenged the river beds of The Thames to scrape a meagre existence out of dire poverty.

These days, however, the practice has seen a resurgence among collectors with a keen interest in history. Some of the treasures typically unearthed include clay pipes, bottles, fragments of pottery, coins and glassware.

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Other more unusual finds include antiquities such as jewellery and weapons, to Victorian pocket watches, have also been unearthed. But the hobby of searching river beds for treasure isn't strictly confined to the River Thames.

Manchester's rivers are also keepers of a history yet to be discovered - thanks to the Industrial Revolution and the communities and industries that sprang up around the Irk and Irwell. One man who has managed to unearth some of these fascinating objects from the past is Steven Bailey.

Steve, a long-distance lorry driver from Cadishead, has collected hundreds of trinkets found in Manchester's rivers since he took up the hobby a few years ago. He describes his practice as river-larking rather than mudlarking - the difference