A NORTH Yorkshire local history and conservation group has been awarded almost £80,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to invest in a major new project.

North Duffield Conservation and Local History Society's Ouse and Derwent project will investigate the occupation of three local villages; North Duffield, Wheldrake and Hemingbrough, during the Iron Age (800BC – 100AD). In total the project received £79,400 from the Lottery.

Brian Elsey, archaeology coordinator for the society, said: "Thanks to National Lottery players, we look forward to making many more ground breaking discoveries and introducing many more people to archaeology.

"Our previous project has pushed back the boundaries to 3,000BC and we hope to learn a great deal more about life in the Southern Vale of York more than 2,000 years and more ago."

He said they endeavour to work with local schools, residents and people with disabilities, with a focus on the deaf community, and this will provide opportunities to receive training in archaeological techniques, learn new skills and a chance to understand the environment in which they lived.

A previous dig back in 2011, which was also funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund discovered Iron Age pottery.

The findings dated back to the Neolithic Period, providing evidence that people had lived on this landscape for a minimum of 5,000 years.

A film producer will be on hand to record events as they happen and disability groups will create sketches centring around these events. These sketches will be released onto social media in 2020 and will form the basis of a fully filmed record.

If you would like to volunteer you can find more information at www.ndchs.org.uk