A COLLECTION of historical artefacts has been discovered during an archaeological dig in Darwen.

A 1792 Lancaster halfpenny token was among many interesting finds during the six-month excavation near Manor House Farm, Eccleshill, by the Phoenix North West Archaeology Group.

A piece of pottery featuring a football scene from the late 1800s was also uncovered and will be included in an exhibition at Blackburn Museum.

The four archaeologists are all mature students and carried out the dig as part of a degree course at Lancaster University.

Bottles, pottery and brass buttons were also unearthed during the dig, which started last year. Research had shown the site might be of interest.

However, the halfpenny token was the most exciting find. The small coin was made during a metal shortage in the 1700s by shopkeepers.

Shoppers had individual accounts, paying for goods with the tokens.

When their box was full of the coins, usually made from lead, tin or copper, they were given them back and exchanged for silver or notes.

Dave Thomas, a member of the team, said: "These tokens were made when there was shortage of metal and traders actually issued their own coinage.

"This particularly one was made by a trader called Thomas Walthwaite near Lancaster Castle.

It was in pretty poor condition when we found it but luckily I am a coin collector so I carefully cleaned it up. It is quite a rare coin and any coin collector would be proud to have it in their collection.

"We have a policy that when we find anything, we give first choice to local museums."

Nick Harling, keeper of social history at Blackburn Museum, said: "They have made an excellent job of their first real dig at Eccleshill and have kindly donated all the their finds to us. The collection gives us a good picture of materials and objects from the past.

"Local towns produced their own coins in the 18th century so this halfpenny token has got local signficance and it is nice to see that kind of thing turning up.

"The other thing I am excited about is the pottery featuring the old football scene which is significant because of where it was found and the fact Blackburn Rovers was a founder member of the Football League.

"It features men in knickerbocker-type shorts and hats and is a fragment of what we think may have been a major commemorative bowl."

The group also found Victorian coins, brass buttons from tunics made by Blackburn firms, pottery from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and about 17 various bottles.