ARCHAEOLOGISTS have been busy in Winchester delving into the past before development again covers it over.

At the fire station, the foundations and walls of an ancient building has been found only a few feet under the yard.

A service spokesman said: “A second dig had been due but we are postponing that until the site is vacated so the archaeologists won’t have fire service operations going on around them.

“They have uncovered something but we don’t know what it is yet. It hasn’t come as a surprise as the site is within the medieval walls.”

The station on North Walls is set to be redeveloped with the fire service relocating to Winnall early in the New Year.

On City Road archaeologists have been delving on a small site soon to be developed for a shop and two flats.

Developer Mohamed Bakhaty is paying for the work as part of the planning permission. Mr Bakhaty said: “I don’t think they discovered much. They took a way a few bags. The site was once in the City Ditch under the medieval walls.”

Wessex Archaeology, which has undertaken both explorations, has been unavailable for comment.

The activity evokes memories of the 1970s and 80s when the city saw several long-running and major digs; the largest at the Brooks Centre.