ARCHAEOLOGISTS are hailing the success of a dig at the site of an Iron Age settlement.

Professional and amateur archaeologists have discovered evidence of a 2,500-year-old settlement including pottery and farm animal bones during a two-week excavation.

The team at Foxrush Farm, just outside Redcar, has also uncovered a ditch system and enclosure area at the site.

The dig finished on Saturday. On Sunday the finds were on display during an open day, which also featured story telling, re-enactments, woodland crafts and Iron Age clay pot making.

"It's been very interesting. I've had the job of taking parties of schoolchildren around and they seemed to really enjoy it," said council countryside officer Jo Fearey.

"I've also done a bit of excavation work and the archaeological team has established that there was definitely a settlement here, which is great."

The open day was the last chance to view the excavation, organised by Tees Archaeology and Redcar and Cleveland Council, before back filling began on Monday.

The site was known from aerial photographs and a recent geophysical survey had located a number of possible ditches and an area of burning.

An exhibition of finds is to be displayed at neighbouring Kirkleatham Hall Museum next year.