SKELETONS unearthed at the Hoplands building site in Sleaford could give a vital insight into Roman life in the town.

Two skeletons, the first dubbed Vivian by the archeologists who found it, are being examined for clues about Roman Sleaford.

The finds are helping Network Archeology, who are controlling the site, build up a picture of a Roman road-side community.

The second skeleton was buried in a crouching position, a far more common method of burial than the face-down approach taken with the first.

Senior project officer Gavin Glover said: "The second skeleton was not far away from the first, but it was underneath the Roman road.

"At the moment we're looking at this as a road-side settlement, there are at least five buildings, which are probably houses, one on top of the other and three wells.

"These finds will help us get a lot more details about the status of the buildings and the people who were living there."

Along with the skeletons, Roman artifacts, wells and buildings are helping to create an idea of what the settlement was like.

The three wells that have been uncovered so far immediately began filling with water once they were cleared.

Network Archaeology's project manager Mike Wood said: "The stone-lined wells would have been used for drawing fresh water for consumption in the nearby houses.

"The water table is still high enough to fill up the now cleaned-out well, illustrating how effective it would once have been."

The site holds several different levels of buildings superimposed on one another and the team of archeologists believe the Hoplands could also hold a great deal of information about the Iron Age.

The Hoplands is in line to be a site for affordable housing made possible by funding won by North Kesteven District Council.

There will not be a delay in the building because the council factored in the time needed to deal with the exciting finds.

Cllr Stewart Ogden said: "We built this time into our plans for the site hoping to find some interesting historical artifacts.

"I am ecstatic about what has been uncovered

"It emphasises Sleaford's extraordinary importance through all stages of history."