The remains of an Iron Age farm are expected to give up more of their secrets during an annual Norfolk dig which gets underway next month. The first serious excavation of the site was carried out last summer, uncovering ditches and a paved yard which could have been used to keep cattle.

The remains of an Iron Age farm are expected to give up more of their secrets during an annual Norfolk dig which gets underway next month.

The first serious excavation of the site was carried out last summer, uncovering ditches and a paved yard which could have been used to keep cattle.

Now it is set to become one of the focal points of the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project's 2006 season, which starts on Sunday, July 9.

SHARP was launched in 1996 with the aim of building up a complete history of Sedgeford, near Hunstanton, and attracts volunteer archaeologists from around the world.

So far the summer explorations have unearthed more than 270 skeletons from a Saxon cemetery, a horde of Iron Age coins and the long-lost end of a torc, as well as numerous other artefacts.

The farm is on a hillside to the south of the cemetery and is thought to have been taken over by the Romans following their invasion.

"What we saw last year in quite a small excavation indicates it's going to be quite a substantial area and it's going to be one of the main focuses this year," said SHARP publicity officer Chris Mackie.

"When we started the project we thought we would look at the whole of the village and see what history and archaeology was there.

"We had no idea of what we would come across but it really has become one of the most fascinating and well-established archaeological projects. Every year we are looking at something new."

The season runs until August 18 and places are still available on the project's week-long basic archaeology courses and the one and two-day courses on allied subjects.

Further details, including a prospectus, are available on the website, www.sharp.org.uk, or by contacting Brenda Huggins on 01485 532343 or via email, tanzee@supanet.com

The main site is open to visitors from 11am to 4pm every day except Saturdays and a guide will be on hand to explain what is happening and answer questions.