CONSTRUCTION workers are hopeful they may have stumbled across masterpieces while working at a castle.

A team from Wimpey Homes North-East was busy converting Wilton Castle, the former seat of the Lowther family and private hotel owned by ICI, when site manager Dave Talintyre found a hidden window.

After ripping out a partition wall, he came upon a hidden turret room that had been boarded up and wallpapered over.

The three paintings it held have caused a rush of excitement among the team, which is converting the Grade II-listed castle and stable block into 21 apartments, six flats and 18 houses.

John Foster, Wimpey's special projects manager, said: "I will be having them looked at by specialists but even if they are not worth anything, it would be great to find out something of their history.

"The castle holds many surprises, as Wimpey Homes is beginning to discover. The construction team was recently digging a hole in the basement of the castle to examine the foundations, when they discovered a collection of bones.

"However, after archaeological experts were called in, it was discovered that the bones belonged to nothing more sinister than a cow."

Until Wimpey bought the property in 2000, ICI had used it for corporate training and hosting visiting VIPs, ranging from the Queen and Prince Philip to the footballer Juninho.

The development is the latest major architectural project by the firm, which has won many awards for its conversion of some of the region's most spectacular properties.

It is hoped that the first flats will be completed by the end of the year.