AN archaeology day at Alton’s Allen Gallery produced some interesting artefacts - and digging around in the garden unearthed glimpses of the town’s past.

The day was organised by the Friends of the Allen Gallery and Curtis Museum and 140 people turned out on August 18 to explore or to bring along items they had found either in their gardens or while out walking. Among their collections were a lot of fossils, which were difficult to date.

Liss Archaeological Society dug a small test pit in the gallery garden to show people the work they do, and among the finds were pieces of terracotta and china and a clay pipe.

There were stalls selling books on archaeology and history as well as activities for children, who also got their own pit to dig in, but as it was a sandpit it didn’t produce any treasures from the past, but they had a lot of fun doing it.