ARTEFACTS pre-dating Christ have been found during an archaeological dig.

The Marlow Archaeology Society came across a 2,500-year-old piece of flint during a year-long dig at the SAS UK's headquarters on Henley Road. Society secretary David Greenwood documented the find in a report which he presented to SAS last week.

The report concluded the flint was probably associated with the Iron Age Hill Fort, halfway between SAS grounds and Danesfield House hotel grounds.

Mr Greenwood said: "We will be investigating the Iron Age Hill Fort more thoroughly during a three-year project we have just started Recording Marlow and District Ancient Monuments."

The society was originally called in by SAS, a systems software distributor, in 2003 to investigate a baffling 8ft by 9ft wide brick container, found while employees were gardening in Wittington House grounds in Medmenham.

At first experts thought it was an ice house, but after extensive research they realised it was probably a 100-year-old water tank, which was at least 15 feet deep, required for the area's chalk soils.

The chalk soil allows the water to seep deep underground, too far for normal wells to reach. Instead people built water tanks for water storage. SAS is happy that their mystery has been solved and has recovered the tank to preserve it from frost damage.