HUNDREDS of people visited the site of a former prison in North Yorkshire last weekend, to find out what had been uncovered by an archaeological dig.

Almost 650 people visited Northallerton’s former prison, travelling from across Hambleton and as far afield as Scotland and West Yorkshire, for the first of two open days as part of a month long excavation programme by the York Archaeological Trust.

The trust aims to find out more about the jail's past before it is redeveloped, and staff from Hambleton District Council and the archaeologists were on hand to explain the excavated site.

Visitors were shown the foundations of the original exercise yard, cells and a demolished boiler house chimney. Visitors also saw the footings of part of the prison’s treadmill.

A second open day will be held on Saturday, September 30, when the gates will be open to visitors to come and see the site between 10am and 4pm. Archaeologist Gus Shaw said sturdy shoes were recommended.