Young girl pulls 1,500-year-old sword from Swedish lake

Iron Age weapon is exceptionally well preserved, experts say

The sword was found in Vidostern lake (Jonkopings Lans Museum)

An eight-year-old girl was skimming stones on a Swedish lake when she trod on an ancient Iron Age sword.

Saga Vanecek said she originally thought she had "found some kind of stick" as she played in the waters of Lake Vidostern, around 250 miles south of the nation's capital Stockholm.

"I picked it up and was going to drop it back in the water, but it had a handle, and I saw that it was a little bit pointy at the end and all rusty," she told The Local website.

She was stopped from throwing it away by her family, who realised that the mysterious object could be a sword.

After they contacted Annie Rosén, an archaeologist at Jonkoping County Museum, she quickly realised that it was remarkable find.

Around 85cm long, the museum believes the sword could be up to 1,500 years old.

It described it as "exceptionally well-preserved with swordskin in wood and leather."

Experts from the museum carried out further excavations around the lake in September and also discovered a brooch from around the 300 century AD.

Staff are continuing to explore the area in the hope of finding other relics.

Locals and friends have joked that Saga's discovery makes her the 'Queen of Sweden', drawing parallels with Excalibur, the legendary sword bequeathed to King Arthur by the Lady in the Lake.