Archaeologists excavating an early medieval site on the East Yorkshire coast said they have found buildings and objects of “national significance”.

The team from the University of York began work uncovering the remains of a timber hall close to Skipsea, and have now found evidence of an even earlier settlement.

Dr Jim Leary, from the University’s Department of Archaeology, said only a “handful” of such sites existed in the UK and the discovery of buildings and tools that could date back as far as the 5th or 6th Centuries was “phenomenal”.

The team are expected to be on site until the end of May.