THE Queen's Duchy of Lancaster is investigating the destruction of an ancient stone circle, believed to date back 4,000 years.

The historic site is scheduled as an ancient monument by English Heritage and is part of the Duchy's estate at Cloughton, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The circle consisted of 30 stones and is thought to date from the Bronze Age, said village historian and author Margery Parkinson.

"It is an important part of Cloughton's history," she said. Several of the stones have been moved and some have disappeared altogether, she said.

Now the parish council is asking the Duchy to investigate.

Andrew Argyle, surveyor for the Duchy, said: "We take this very seriously. I have inspected the site and also spoken to contractors who have been working in the wood, about it."

Mr Argyle said it would have needed machinery to move the stones and rocks, because of their size.

Keith Emerick, inspector of ancient monuments for English Heritage, the Government's conservation agency, said: "It is a criminal offence to disturb scheduled monuments. They cannot be dug up or altered without consent."