SCIENTISTS are ready to start an archaeological dig at an historic site, to help unlock the secrets of the past.

The dig will take place at Greystones Farm in Bourton-on-the-Water, a site where people have lived and farmed for more than 6,000 years and is thought to be one of the first towns in Europe.

Children and adults are invited to meet the experts and to take part in fun events on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28 from 11am-4pm during Love Your Landscape day.

There will be a chance for visitors to try their hand at pot making and Iron Age cooking, dig the soil to look for clues from the past and to visit a replica Iron Age roundhouse.

Researchers from Durham University will spend one week at Greystones Farm looking for vital information about how our ancestors lived.

The dig will take place from Saturday, September 1.

Greystones Farm was taken over by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust charity in 2001 and is being developed into an educational centre. During renovation work at the site, archaeologists discovered five skeletons, dating back to the Middle Iron Age meaning they are between 2,000 and 2,500 years old. They are now held at the Corinium Museum.

Dr Gemma Tully, community archaeologist, and Dr Tom Moore, specialist in Iron Age societies in the Cotswolds, will lead the dig.

“Greystones Farm is a fascinating historical site which has been in continuous use for thousands of years. It stands out because it is being managed in a sensitive, sustainable and dynamic way.

“Previous excavations have shown the site was an important settlement in the Iron Age. Our project aims to engage members of the public of all ages in our work,” said Dr Tully.