A NEW sports pitch has been put on hold so that a land survey can be carried out on the site of ancient remains on Portland.

Dorset County Council has stopped work to create an all-weather playing surface on its grounds opposite Royal Manor Arts College in Weston, after ruins dating from the Iron Age, Roman and Medieval periods were unearthed there during topsoil clearance.

Now the council has commissioned an in-depth examination of the area to discover more about the finds.

Head of planning at the council Andrew Price said: "We have certainly found something of interest and further work needs to be carried out to determine its significance before any further actions are taken.

"The sports facility is very important for the local community, but this find is extremely interesting and we are proceeding very carefully, one step at a time, to identify the best way forward."

Campaigners have been calling for the project to be halted since last month's exciting discovery and want the site to be temporarily covered with a protective Terram membrane during the winter months.

Portland historian Stuart Morris said this was 'the most significant find on this island in modern times' and is urging the council to build the synthetic turf pitch, funded by the National Lottery, elsewhere.

He added: "The unearthing of Iron Age, Roman and mediaeval buildings indicates occupation and habitation over many centuries.

"The walls, pottery, bones and artefacts found in the current cursory work indicate a site of phenomenal educational potential, which should give the college and Portland great pride.

"This is a rare and priceless opportunity to discover more about these periods that is vitally important not only for Portland and Dorset, but the whole nation.

"I cannot recall anything of this nature which has caused so much excitement among both islanders and academics.

Director of the Association for Portland Archaeology Susann Palmer added: "It is imperative that we should use this opportunity to find out how this fits into the island's past.

"I believe it may well be a settlement where the 'governor' lived, who was in charge of workers, including Iron Age people, who quarried and worked for stone for making all the Roman coffins we know were produced here.

"There is a ditch full of Roman pottery, a possible kiln or corn dryer and one large Iron Age round-house."

Dorset County Council said the remains were originally thought to be a Roman villa but now believe they are everyday structures from the Iron Age, Roman and Medieval periods.