A MAJOR clean-up operation was launched as gardeners began preparing to look back in time.

The Allotment Soup project saw people come together on the fields off Mill Lane, Walney, last weekend ahead of the planting season.

The group plan to host a Big Archaeological Dig on the field later this month.

Hannah Brackston, organiser and artist-in-residence, said: “Our big event is in two weeks' time with a full archaeological dig under the old trackways.

“We don't know much about the history of it so we're working with two local archaeologists to dig a full transect of the trackway. We're going to look at it for a few days so we'll do a proper excavation.”

The Big Archaeological Dig will be held on Saturday March 25 and Sunday March 26 from 10am until 5pm.

It is free to attend and people are encouraged to bring along their own stories and memories about Walney.

Children are especially welcome to go along to learn more about the history of the area.

She said: “Walney was once known as the breadbasket for the whole of Furness. A lot of grain was grown here and milled at the end of Mill Lane.

“We're hoping to have a look at what it might take to make bread on the field today.

“Once it dries up from all the wet weather we're going to sow out a whole strip and we'll work with some local schools to mill it and turn it into bread.

“We want to see what a Walney loaf might look like.”

The clean-up operation was a chance for the group to prepare the area for the dig, while also preparing the fields for people to plant their beds in the spring.

Warnings about rising food prices in the midst of Brexit led to Labour peer Baroness Andrews claiming last week that Britain would need to grow more produce, and Hannah welcomes the suggestion.

She said: “I think growing food locally is really important, particularly in terms of climate change and being able to minimise food miles and the distance it travels.

“Part of what we're doing this year and what we try to do every year is experiment with things and explore them through practical ways.

“One of our interesting experiments is that we're reconstructing a medieval strip across the field to follow the footprints of the traditional strips farmed across the whole island.”

Read more about the Allotment Soup's work below.

Community growing project returns with host of free events.

Walney community project uncovers a piece of history.