VOLUNTEER archaeologists in Blackbird Leys had a shock on their second day of digging yesterday, when they stumbled upon a 4,000-year-old artefact.

Around 20 people started digging near the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday, as part of a five week project to learn more about the area’s history.

Organised by the lottery-funded Archaeology of East Oxford Project (Archeox), the diggers hope to discover information about a 12th century priory on the site.

But they got more than they bargained for at the site on Minchery Farm Paddock yesterday morning.

Project manager Jane Harrison said: “It was pretty exciting. I got into the trench we have there, took four swipes with a trowel and it just popped up.

“It is a beautiful tanged and barbed arrowhead, made of flint. It dates back to the early Bronze age, which means it is over 4,000 years old.”