Latest archaeological find discovered during A585 road works near Poulton

The significant remains, some dating all the way back to the Stone Age, came to light during preliminary work on the £100 million A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool bypass and junction improvement project.

The Government gave the green light last month for the three mile carriageway, which is being constructed by Kier, and Highways England said advanced works have started to ensure the project will be done in the most efficient and least disruptive way possible.’

This new road is aimed at easing long-term congestion problems along the current A585, but for the first few months archaeological work will continue along where the new bypass will be constructed, so items of notable interest’ in the surrounding area can be saved rather than destroyed.

After the latest discovery, a spokesman for Highways England said: "The flint arrow head is from the early Bronze Age and approximately 4,500 years old.

"We also found pottery from the Neolithic period and could be up to 10,000 years old."

There have already been a large number of objects unearthed which are likely to be of national - and international significance.

They include a 6,000-year-old elm tree leaf and stone age tools giving a glimpse of early life on a watery Fylde peninsula thousands of years ago.

Tools found include some worked flint and chert blades - stone tools of either Mesolithic hunter-gatherers (pre 3800 BC) or Neolithic first farmers (after about 3800 BC).

Fragments of a Neolithic polished stone axe - made from Lake District stone and an example of axes exchanged over great distances in Britain, have been discovered as well..

The new road and associated improvements will tackle existing congestion, help secure and improve opportunities for housing and jobs in this part of Lancashire and contribute to improved connections to the whole of the motorway network.

Oxford Archaeology carried out pre-construction ground investigations for the project last year when it discovred the perfectly-preserved prehistoric vegetation as well as the stone tools.

Lead archaeologist Fraser Brown said there had been no precedent for such finds in the Fylde area which was under melting glacial ice thousands of years ago.

It is hoped that public information events on these finds can be held in the future.