[Inettypofonee]

Operation Nightingale, a six-week british excavation and rehabilitation programme for soldiers with an interest in archaeology at Barrow Clump, has resulted in excavation of a 6th Century Anglo-Saxon female, says the MoD.

The ancient burial mound, one of 306 scheduled monuments on MOD land within Salisbury Plain, is currently on the English Heritage 'Heritage at Risk' list due to extensive burrowing by badgers"We are very lucky to be part of this dig as soldiers. Normally we wouldn't be able to do this as it's a scheduled Neolithic burial with an early-Pagan Anglo-Saxon burial cut into it," explained Rifleman Laurence Savage, 5th Battalion The Rifles, who is on his second archaeological dig with the project.

Digging started a week ago, and quickly uncovered what is believed to be an Anglo-Saxon brooch, as well as the grave.

'Davina' was buried with her arms crossed over her pelvis, and is presumed to be Pagan as her grave is in a north west to south east position - Christian burials are east-west facing.