YOUNGSTERS who were upset when they heard the remains of a Roman villa were to make way for housing had their questions answered yesterday.

Archaeologists from Durham University and Tees Archaeology have worked together to dig up a RomanoBritish villa at Ingleby Barwick, the most northerly professionally excavated villa of the vast Roman Empire.

The find is to make way for housing on the fast-growing estate, a fact which shocked children from Durham Lane Primary School, Eaglescliffe, so much that they wrote to English Heritage.

Yesterday their approach resulted in a visit by Kate Wilson, of English Heritage, who answered their questions on why some heritage is kept and some is lost.

Teacher Maureen Tait, said: "The children said that when they want to visit a Roman site they have to go all the way to Arbeia Roman Fort at South Shields. But here were the remains of one of the most northerly Roman villa complexes in the Roman Empire right on their doorstep, and the site was to disappear under a new housing estate.

"I said if they felt so strongly they should write letters to express their views."

Mrs Wilson said the strength of feeling among the children was amazing and that is why she agreed to meet them.