AN Alcester historian is calling for the excavation at Bleachfield Street to be extended to find out more about Roman artefacts which may lie underneath.

Pauline Sands told the Chronicle this week she felt more work needed to be done to the site to determine exactly what had been there in Roman times, and to leave some finds in place.

The area was excavated by Hereford-based Archaeological Investigations Ltd, which was commissioned by developers Laing Homes Midlands as part of conditions of a planning application to build homes on the site.

Ms Sands said: "For the first time we have the chance to see an archaeological dig at a time when there is a huge interest in archaeology, and at a time when we have just got a new museum."

The finds will be cleaned, preserved, classified and reported on by Archaeological Investigations then sent to Warwick Museum, while a few may be returned to Alcester.

The first reports are expected by March 31 next year.

But Ms Sands said she was concerned there would be little to stop the developers working on the site now the specified timescale of three months was up.

"It would be wonderful if this site could be examined, there's still so much to be found," she added.

"What I would love is for something to be left in situ on this site so we can show it to visitors to Alcester as: 'there's a real bit of Roman Alcester, not just in a glass case'."

Both county archaeologist Jonathan Parkhouse and Archaeological Investigations Ltd spokesmen refused to comment on the possibility of extending the dig.

A spokesman for Laing Homes said if Ms Sands was to write to the company with possible timescales for the extension of the dig, it would be something they would be prepared to consider.