By James Jackson
Daily Post Staff

ARCHAEOLOGISTS are on the verge of uncovering what they believe to be the remains of a Roman villa on the outskirts of Warrington.

For the past two years, James Balm, with the aid of his inetal detector, has been unearthing some fascinating discoveries in fields at Warburton, near Lymm, including Roman brooches, hair pins and Bronze Age tools

It followed a dig at the site by the University of Manchester's archaeological department in 1999. Now its experts are set to return and undertake a major excavation of the fields during the coming months.

Mr Balme, 37, a financial controller from nearby Rixton, was the first to spot the possibility that farm fields in Warburton were hiding a secret from the time of Britain's Roman occupation

He discovered the site, after studying aerial photographs which revealed dark shadows, thought to have been Roman buildings.

The university's dig two years ago unearthed two ditches, one of which experts believe could have once been linked to a Roman settlement.

Specialist X-ray equipment will be brought in to detect any hidden rerriams and. following Mr Balme's amazing discoveries with his metal detector, he cannot wait for the excavation proper to begin.

This was almost certainly the site of a large Roman settlement. I think it was a series of Roman farmsteads, with possibly a smaller village around it. The site is of far greater importance than originally realised and hopefully a lot more will be revealed once probes are put in the ground. The University of Manchester, as well as South Trafford Archaeology Group and Warburton Archaeological Survey, will co-ordinate the excavation which will not be completed until the end of next year.

The research manager at the university's archaeological unit, Dr Mike Nevell, who is also director of the Warburton survey, believes they could be about to unearth the remains of a rare Roman villa.

He said - "The amount of Roman jewellery that Jim has already discovered suggests that Moss Brow could have been the home of an important member of Roman Britain's landed gentry. These were very rare in the North West. The only other one which has been found is at Eaton-by-Tarporley."

The artefacts already discovered have been studied by museums. They will be Photographed and drawn before they are put on display.