AN archaeological dig is being planned to find out if a suspected Bronze Age barrow lies under the site of a new school.

The ancient presence was revealed after an electromagnetic scan of land for the new Milldown Primary School on the current Blandford School site.

Trial excavations provided evidence of prehistoric ditches. Now a two-week dig from January 5 to 16 will not just explore the site for the barrow but also involve the local community in work as well while making sure that all the archaeological information is recorded and removed before building work starts.

All schools in the Blandford area will be involved with the dig through pupil activity and site visits by appointment while the dig may also be opened up to the community at two open weekends subject to funding and more talks with staff.

A school spokesman said: “It is hoped to fence the dig with see-through panels so that pupils can observe site activity with access to the official dig site restricted to students of Blandford School and Bryanston School Archaeology Clubs.”

Other pupils will not be able to go into the official compound, so it has been arranged to provide archaeologist and museum support for the Blandford School Archaeology Club to open up a ‘shadow’ trench to provide opportunities for younger pupils to get involved in the processes of digging and recording, subject to risk assessments.

There will be a covered display area available in which there will be talks, displays, demonstrations and hands-on activities while archaeologist Julian Richards of BBC 2’s Meet the Ancestors fame and Luke Winter from the county Ancient Technology Centre will manage activities for pupils to capture the excitement of discovery.

Visitors to the site will be able to see the dig in progress, talk to some of the archaeologists involved and handle real finds. There will also be a range of displays and activities both on site and undercover.

Among activities being planned are flint-napping, the handling of Bronze Age artefacts, digging by arrangement, pottery making, talks by archaeologists, hurdle making and the construction of a prehistoric house.