EXPERTS were unearthing more startling discoveries from Roman times yesterday as plans for an archaeological investigation were stepped up.

It emerged last week that a series of unexpected finds had been made at the Faverdale East business park, in Darlington, on land earmarked for an Argos distribution centre.

The "high status" Roman and Iron Age pottery suggested there had been a previously unknown military presence in the area.

The artefacts stunned archaeologists, who believed there were no major Roman military links to Darlington, despite the rest of the North-East having an abundance of them.

They are now doing the groundwork for a full-scale investigation to shed light on the history behind the discoveries.

There is a small Roman fort at Piercebridge, a few miles to the west of Darlington, while others are in evidence elsewhere in County Durham.

But the Darlington excavation will be one of the most exciting in the region for some time.

Robin Taylor-Wilson, of Pre-Construct Archaeology, who is leading the project, said: "We're stripping the area now and there's a lot of archaeology on that site.

He said the work would be carried out over the next two months, prior to Argos moving on to the site to begin initial preparations.

"There are certain areas that have to be handed back by a certain time, so we're going to be prioritising our work in those areas," he said.

John Buxton, development and environment director at Darlington Borough Council, said: "About a quarter of the topsoil has now been excavated and the archaeologists are beginning to identify some features."

The Roman finds were made during a routine archaeological assessment of the Argos site. Once in place, the distribution centre will create up to 700 jobs.