BURNLEY's new Tesco store will feature a plaque containing information about what used to be on the site after builders discovered the remains of a ramp.

Workers at the Centenary Way site thought they had revealed something of historical interest when they came across the remains earlier this year.

It was thought the brickwork arches could have been coke ovens linked to the Burnley Corporation gas works at the beginning of last century but it turns out they are just part of a ramp.

It is expected that work will restart on building the supermarket within the next couple of weeks.

Sean Edgeley, a spokesman for Tesco, said: "The situation is that work has stopped on the site at the moment because we have completed what we needed to do on that part of the site.

"We have had a look at the possible archaeological find and it is not what we thought it may be so we can start on the next part.

"We thought it might have been the arches to coke ovens but now we've looked at it we believe it was some sort of ramp and of no significant archaeological interest.

"It will now be removed and we are talking to the council about putting up some kind of information on the site to say what it was before just as a matter of public interest."

A spokesman for the council's planning department said: "They are quite entitled to carry on building. There was no reason to stop work when the remains were discovered."

Tesco was granted planning permission over a year ago and last month promised to start building as soon as possible.

Burnley Borough Council gave the go-ahead for the store in July 2001 after councillors, who were set to reject the development on the grounds the town could not support another major food outlet, changed direction after hearing expert advice on the impact of the new stores.

Alterations have been made to the traffic flow system in Centenary Way, close to where British Telecom and Jewson once stood and pedestrian crossings installed.

The 6,000 sq ft store and petrol filling station expects a £34million turnover and will create 300 full time and part time jobs.

The development will include a 400-space car park.