HUNDREDS of historic records that reveal the secrets hidden under the streets of the region’s tourism capital are now available at the touch of the button.

The City of York Council’s Heritage Team has made more than a thousand reports about the city’s history and archaeology available via an interactive map on the city council’s website.

And now anyone curious about what lies beneath their feet can browse the wealth of fascinating information.

The city's executive member for culture, Cllr Nigel Ayre, said: “York has a rich and abundant archive of reports on archaeological events which have taken place across the city so we’re delighted to be able to offer this small but significant step towards helping more people gain access to our records.

“The information contained in the Historic Environment Record, can help people’s understanding and enjoyment of the local historic environment. Hopefully this is the first step towards opening up the record to a much wider audience.”

The record holds information on the city’s archaeological finds, historic buildings and monuments from sources as varied as archaeological reports, historic maps and trade directories.

Originally developed as a planning control tool, it identifies where historic remains are likely to be affected by development, but is now used for all sorts of planning, conservation and heritage work.

Anyone can request access to the record although there is a charge for commercial use. To find out more about accessing it or to view the reports online visit york.gov.uk/HER