The quality of the latest finds in a major archaeological investigation at Winchester has prompted a councillor to call for the city to be designated a World Heritage Site.

Anne Saunders, who visited the excavations at Staple Gardens with colleagues, says she was told the site had "world-class value."

The 1,000sqft excavation, currently believed to be the biggest dig in the country, is being carried out by 30 experts from Oxford Archaeology and it has uncovered Iron Age, Roman and Saxon remains.

As well as Iron Age pottery and Roman coins, they have unearthed a series of stone houses, with back gardens, thought to be early shops at the time of King Alfred, which fronted Brudenestret - an "Alfredian" version of today's Staple Gardens.

Last week, they uncovered a silver coin dating from the reign of King Canute (1013 - 1035), the monarch whose bones are in the cathedral, and a section of Roman wall-panelling.

"I would like the city council to lobby for Winchester to be a World Heritage Site," said Mrs Saunders, member for St Barnabas.

"I think the city certainly has a claim with four features - its cathedral, the Hospital of St Cross, its unique landscape setting and Winchester College."

Mrs Saunders added that world heritage status would also allow the city to "put a brake" on inappropriate development and she hoped to garner support for the idea from "the great and good".

Phil Emery, from consulting company, Gifford Archaeology, which is co-ordinating the dig, agreed that Winchester's archaeological significance could not be understated but declined to comment on the heritage site issue.

"The quality of the archaeology in Winchester is deserving of special recognition and most British archaeologists would agree with that.

"The quality of the remains here have long been recognised but it's a very long time since we've had the opportunity to investigate it on this scale."

Mr Emery said the discovery of the coin was "useful" in that it allowed the team to date one of the floor levels found on the site as a building from the time of King Canute.

The carbonised toppled section of wall from a Roman house, he said, was a "rare survival" which should provide more information about Roman carpentry techniques.

The work, on the site of the former Scats premises, will continue round the clock until Monday, February 14th, when Laing Homes and Keyhaven Land will start work on a development of homes and offices.