A Roman bath house may have been uncovered during sewer repairs in the centre of York.

The exciting find was made by archaeologists in the city's Market Street, working alongside engineers employed by Yorkshire Water.

The York Archaeological Trust's senior field officer Dr Patrick Ottaway said: "What we have found is a small area of 'opus signinum' - a type of Roman concrete floor often found in Roman bath buildings.

"We know that part of a bath building was found here about 40 years ago.

"If this is more of the same building we would have to think of a very large bath block standing between the Roman legionary fortress and the riverside street that we know ran more or less where Coney Street runs today."

Trust excavation assistant Bryan Antoni, who carried out the Market Street work, recovered a tile stamped with the logo of the IXth Legion from the site.

Anglo-Saxon, Viking and medieval deposits were also found at the site.

Dr Ottaway said: "This just shows how important it is to watch every hole dug into the ground in the centre of York.

"A little bit of information now, added to a little bit of information found 40 years ago, can throw a flood of light on the past."

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