ARCHAEOLOGISTS are continuing to investigate if there is a cemetery on the Darwen Academy site.

Blackburn with Darwen Council will find out by the end of the week if any bodies are buried below the site which was a former Methodist church.

Stone-built rooms which formed part of the church were discovered in Redearth Road across from the Crown Hotel.

Due to a series of legal delays, the cost of the academy has already risen from £34million to £49million.

Sayyed Osman, borough director of housing, said: "The trenches are part of our archaeological work as part of the site preparation. The location for each trench has been specified by the Lancashire County Archaeological Service. If we find anything, it will be recorded for the archives."