A SCENE straight from TV's Time Team greeted walkers in Prestwich as an area near St Mary's Parish Church became the focus for an archaeological dig.

Members of Prestwich Heritage Society were joined by two experts from the University of Manchester Archeological Unit to do an evaluation of what they believe to be a medieval settlement.

Pictured putting in some spadework are John Roberts of the University, senior supervisor of the archaeological unit (left), and Jack Barratt of Prestwich Heritage Society.

With the position of St Mary's Church on a hill, the area is a typical "promontary site", which would have been an ideal place for a settlement as they favoured higher ground.

The Heritage Society have been interested in the site, which leads off from a public footpath running along side the church, for around two years and they have carried out some preparation work.

The latest project, funded by Bury Council, involved the team digging deep trenches in the soil to see if there was any evidence of a Saxon encampment.

The group spent all last week doing the dig and the University will produce a report on their findings.

Mr Roberts said: "It would be nice to find some dated evidence, like a piece of pottery, but we haven't. What we have looked at though, is the discolourations in the ground which tells us if the ground has been disturbed."