Iron Age human remains have been unearthed during the construction of a new school.

Burials of children and animals discovered at the site are believed to be more than 2,000-years-old.

Archaeologists have traced numerous finds, in Carshalton, south-west London, to the Iron Age and Roman era.

Experts, who said it was one of the most important finds in the capital in recent years, believe the area was once a small farming community made up of earth and timber roundhouses with thatched roofs.

The discoveries were made by workmen laying the foundations for the new Stanley Park High School on the former site of Queen Mary’s Hospital.

Graham Tope, from Sutton Council, said: “We are very excited to find such important examples of early life in Britain.

“Archaeologists tell us these excavations are certainly the most important ever undertaken in the London Borough of Sutton and very important in the context of Greater London where much of other evidence of these periods has been destroyed by earlier development.

“Building work for our super new school continues while careful excavations are carried out. We are keen to learn more about the artefacts and stories behind them after they have been fully analysed - it will really help to bring ancient history to life for local children when they attend their new school.”

Duncan Hawkins, an archaeologist at the site, said: “The archaeological remains are typical of a late Iron Age and early Roman farming settlement.

“A very large number of domestic animal skeletons have been recovered – including horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and dogs. These animals which were either whole or partly dismembered appear to have been deliberately sacrificed and deposited in deep (up to four metres) pits cut into the chalk bed rock.

“This may represent some form of ‘closure’ ritual when the settlement passed out of use with the pits perhaps originally representing grain stores.”