Archaeological finds from bypass to go on display

Leicestershire County Council has announced it will host an event to showcase archaeological finds discovered during the construction of Pork Pie Way.

It said items discovered during the road's development included prehistoric flint tools dating back to about 12,000BC, as well as a fossilised vertebrae from a Jurassic ichthyosaur - a large marine reptile that swam in ancient seas more than 200 million years ago.

The authority announced on Thursday the £131m bypass in Melton Mowbray would be named in honour of the meaty treat, a speciality of the town's butchers.

The council said the event will take place at Melton Carnegie Museum on Friday from 10:00 BST to 15:00.

During the excavation of 11 separate sites, across 62 acres (25 hectares), experts from Archaeological Research Services Ltd (ARS) uncovered the remains of ancient aquatic creatures swept into the area by shifting glaciers.

Two ichthyosaur fossils were uncovered during the dig, including the vertebrae of one of the large marine reptiles.

And what was initially believed to be nothing more than a large rock, was found to contain the snout of an ichthyosaur, which was so heavy it took two men to lift it from the ground.

ARS said they probably dated to the Lower Jurassic period and had been moved by a glacier and deposited at Melton some 200 million years ago.

According to the Reform UK-run authority, visitors would also be able to see pottery, including an early Bronze Age beaker vessel, late prehistoric and Roman Iron Age (Belgic) pottery from around AD40, Samian-ware stamps, and Saxon pottery dating to around AD600.

The council said the items would be sent away for cataloguing ahead of being allocated a permanent home - which it stated was yet to be determined.

Other finds included Roman coins, a brooch, a bone pin, a glass bead, Saxon loom weights and a spindle whorl.

Kevin Crook, cabinet member for culture and heritage, said: "This exhibition offers a fascinating insight into Melton's past and the incredible discoveries made during the creation of Pork Pie Way.

"It's a unique opportunity for residents and visitors of all ages to get hands-on with history and learn directly from the experts involved.

"We're proud to share this important chapter of our heritage and to showcase how our landscape has evolved over thousands - and even millions - of years."

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