FURNESS could get a new discovery centre' museum celebrating its Viking, Roman and Christian history if there is enough local enthusiasm following the unearthing of a 1,000-year-old artefact, reports Andy Bloxham.

Archaeologists believe the discovery of an exceptionally rare Viking relic, previously reported in The Westmorland Gazette, could be the tip of the iceberg of a burial site of unprecedented importance in Cumbria.

Ulverston archaeologist Steve Dickinson, 47, said he thought the single find of an ornately decorated weight was so precious that it indicated the spot, at a secret location in Low Furness, could be the burial site of a chieftain, an important merchant, or even a king.

"It could be one of the richest sites in the country," enthused Mr Dickinson, a Lancaster University archaeology tutor. "In terms of Viking finds, up until this new discovery, I wouldn't have been able to say the area was very important. This new find puts a completely different spin on it. Even international experts are interested."

Partly on the back of the new discovery, Mr Dickinson is now envisaging a discovery centre' at Dalton-in-Furness that goes beyond showing artefacts in glass cases.

"I'm thinking of a really state-of-the-art visitor attraction which is also going to allow people from local schools to come and take part in an active programme of discovery of the past.

"We're talking about a regenerative thing which would help the local economy. We have suffered from this over-hyping of marina complexes in Barrow and a new call centre with no one in it. The value of this regeneration project is it's supported by local interest which is already there."

As well as the Viking link, the centre could build on new finds in Urswick that indicate it could have been an important centre for early Christians, long before the monks built Furness Abbey at Barrow.

The area might also claim a personality in the form of St Patrick. He could conceivably have had roots in Furness before he was captured as a slave by the Romans.

Furness Abbey the second largest Cistercian Abbey in England - would also be linked into the centre to attract more than the 12,000 visitors it draws at present.

To get the project off the ground. Mr Dickinson has organised a meeting with Dalton Town Council in the hope of winning its support.

Meanwhile, The British Museum has offered its backing for a larger dig at the spot where the weight was unearthed to explore the true extent of the area's Viking heritage. Work will begin at Easter with a geophysical survey that should lead to a structured dig.

The man that helped to trigger all the excitement by unearthing the Viking relic, Dalton metal detector enthusiast David Mortimer-Kelly, is also hard at work scanning for more artefacts. So far, he has a brooch but hopes to unearth much more.