Maryport residents might have remnants of Roman life under their noses.

Jane Laskey, manager of the town's Senhouse Roman Museum, came across a significant part of a Roman altar while revamping her garden. 

Mrs Laskey and the leaders of the Camp Farm excavations are calling on local people to have a look in their own gardens or even at the building materials in walls to see if there are Roman artefacts hidden away. 

Professor Ian Haynes, of Newcastle University and site director, Tony Wilmott, said Maryport people could play a part in providing more clues about the history of Romans in West Cumbria. 

Mrs Laskey said: "Pieces of Roman architecture are fairly rare to find, but Maryport is home to the structural remains of a Roman fort, and has a lot of Roman stonework built in to houses and the walls surrounding them.

"Every new finding is a bit like a piece in the jigsaw puzzle. I encourage anyone in Maryport and the surrounding areas to bring in anything they think may be Roman.” 

The museum is holding its annual Roman Festival on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9.

The last day of the excavation is Friday, August 14.

For more information, call 01900 816168 or email info@senhousemuseum.co.uk