Focus on Partnership: What type of Fibula was it?

As an archaeologist working in central Europe and with an interest in the Balkan antiquities trade, I was interested in what type of fibula had ended up in a field in Oxfordshire and then on the desk of an FLO in Surrey. So I decided to write to my English colleague to see if I could learn more about these objects than was given in the newspaper report. My letter:

[Re: 'Controversy in Surrey over Roman brooch discovery', Surrey Mirror Wednesday, November 06, 2013]

Dear Dr Williams,
Is there any possibility of receiving a photo of the fibula which you identified at the metal detecting club meeting on Monday as being "from Bulgaria or Romania" and found at the Oxfordshire rally in September? What type is it?

 The object with the plastic film was of British type or also Balkan type? Were these objects entered on the PAS database? What about the same finders' other finds?

I suspect there is a lot of this going on, at commercial artefact hunting rallies in particular. In some cases it'd be the finder and in others the organizers/landowners would be seeding the ground. With best wishes
Paul Barford (Warsaw)

His prompt but dismissive reply refers me to a forthcoming "illustrated article in the Searcher" - not even any kind of archaeological publication, but buried in a hobby magazine!

Of course "the Searcher" is not on sale in Warsaw. Unlike Great Britain, you cannot get magazines about hoiking archaeological finds out of archaeological sites and assemblages over the counter in any Polish newsagents. Without a permit, it would be an illegal activity, and the moment a newsgent stocked anything like that our archaeologists (quite active in that regard) would react. British archies not only turn a blind eye to it, but like Dr Williams actually write articles for such magazines.

The PAS is often portrayed by its supporters as an effective medium for gaining information for archaeological research. Yet, when it comes down to it, a request for archaeological (typological) information here is denied, but priority given to keeping metal detecting "partners" informed.

Vignette:  Surrey finds liaison officer David Williams hides an object from view, in a field with what seems to be a metal detectorist behind him. Is this (as the photo's caption suggests) the Balkan fibula, and if so, on what occasion was this photo taken? (Surrey Mirror).
 

UPDATE 12.11.13:
Mr Williams informs me: "the picture in the article was taken some years ago and is irrelevant". So we still have no idea what type of fibula this was.