AS one archaeological dig finishes in Winchester today, another one is due to start on an adjacent site.

Archaeologists move off the Staple Gardens dig today and work on a Jewry Street car park is due to start in a week.

The car park behind the library will close for about three weeks from February 21.

The closure has been agreed by the city council, which owns the car park, because it is essential to

progressing the cultural centre scheme at the library.

The county council will inspect air raid shelters that lie beneath the surface to determine what measures will be required to protect them.

The authority has been speaking to experts from English Heritage about the 1940s structures that would have accommodated 550 people.

Some 75 pieces of contemporary graffiti, including caricatures of Hitler and Mussolini, have already been preserved. Work to protect the air raid shelters is likely to be carried out in May, which will result in a further closure of the car park.

Councillor John Waddington, county council executive member for recreation and heritage, said: "We apologise for any inconvenience caused while these essential works are being carried out and advise

people to find alternative car parking in the city centre, such as Tower Street or North Walls car parks, or to make use of the city's park-and-ride service during this period."

Once planning permission is granted, work on the new centre could start in the summer.

The application to extend the library has been submitted, and if there are any objections, the plan will be considered by the county council regulatory committee on March 23.

The centre will provide residents with the most modern library service in the county. It will also house the city's reference library.