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Wednesday, 23rd January 2008 (2818 views)

Gold jewellery, weapons and clothing dating from the seventh century that were unearthed in north-east England last November will be allowed to stay in the local area, the government has said.

The items, which include a gold brooch described as "unparalleled" for the period, were discovered during the excavation of a 109-grave cemetery near Loftus in Cleveland and are thought to have belonged to Anglo Saxon royalty.

Amid concerns that the treasures would be sent to London for display in the British Museum, local people had campaigned to keep them in the north east.

But responding to local MP Ashok Kumar in the Commons, culture minister Margaret Hodge said there were no plans to take the treasures south.

"The British Museum has confirmed that it has always been their understanding that the objects from the Loftus excavations would be acquired by a local museum," she told parliament.

Archaeologists believe the Loftus site is the only Anglo Saxon royal burial ground in the north of England.

 

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