A number of people have contacted The Leader with reports that a significant find was unearthed during work now underway on the new A1 underpass.

DRD Roads Service, however, said that while archaeologists were investigating potential discoveries, their investigations were at an early stage and no specific finds had been reported.

The official line only partly supports claims made locally.

One caller spoke of the discovery of 11 Bronze Age graves and a number of pottery pieces described as "water bowls", while another reader said she had heard "a 3,000 year-old cremation ground" had been uncovered.

A spokesperson for the Department of Regional Development said it was common practice during excavations for archaeologists to examine sites once the top layer of soil had been removed.

But there were hundreds of such sites, she said, and even when possible archaeology was identified it often turned out to be nothing.

"The improvement works at the Banbridge Road, Dromore junction is one scheme within a package of schemes to improve the A1 Belfast/Dublin corridor," she said. "The stripping of topsoil on all these schemes has progressed under the supervision of archaeologists.

"As a result of this work potential archaeology has been identified at a number of locations throughout the sites.

"The contractor is currently working with the Environmental and Heritage Service to resolve these finds.

"The nature of any finds will only become apparent as the excavation work progresses; it is envisaged that all archaeological investigation works should be completed by summer 2008."