FAMILIES had a chance to uncover a piece of history when they took part in an archaeological excavation at Stewart Park over the Bank Holiday break.

Onlookers were given their own trowel and brush to dig deep into the bygone history of the East Marton Deserted Medieval village, where a dig has been taking place for the past two weeks.

The excavation follows the success of last year's Time Team Big Dig last June and Dig Marton last October, which uncovered large amounts of pottery and a silver coin of about 1250 AD.

And yesterday Rosa Mundi Medieval Re-enactment Society was on hand to add to the sense of history.

Senior curator at the James Cook Birthplace Museum, Phil Philo, said: "It was an unusual and interesting event which gave our visitors to the excavations an insight into life over 500 years ago.

"We tend to think of the Middlesbrough area being populated from the time of its industrial revolution in the mid-19th Century but 250 years before the birth of James Cook, the village of East Marton was a thriving rural community.

"I'm sure that Rosa Mundi's demonstration made people think again about their heritage."