A LARGS man believes he has uncovered key evidence from 1,800 years ago which could prove the Roman empire came to Largs.

Graham Green, 76, discovered the remains of two jugs on the beach in the 1960's whilst helping rescue a boat which had lost its moorings.

He put them away in a box for over 40 years and only dusted them off when archaeologists came to the area to investigate possible Roman links.

Graham handed over the artefacts to boffins who were researching North Ayrshire's coast - and they confirmed that they were likely from the 2nd century AD.

Graham contacted the News to share his findings after reading our recent report of a possible Roman fort under the old post office on Main Street.

He said: "It was when I first moved to Largs from Stewarton in the late 1960s that I found the old jugs.

"It was August because the Fairlie boat yard lot were on holiday otherwise we would never have been down at that neck of the woods.

"A fishing boat broke its moorings and ended up on the beach right down at the corner at Hunterston

"There was a burn next to were it ended up, which had carved a hole in the beach, so we thought if we got and anchor right in to the bottom of the burn it would have a good furrow to plough.

"So we led the wire rope up on the ship and started turning it, but the anchor ploughed along the sand and with it up came these bits of pottery.

"We didn't really think much of it, we just joked 'oh look at that, Roman remains'.

"But we gathered them up and there was what looked like the tops of jugs or a container and then there was also a base and on the underside of it were Roman numerals.

"I took them home, but I never really thought about them again, I just shoved them in an old box. It wasn't until I moved house that I remembered them, around the same time a gent from Wessex Archaeology had started a survey investigating the area. I got in touch to let them know what I had.

"They were so excited and confirmed that the remains were Roman. It obviously isn't my area of expertise but to me it is proof that the Romans were here.

"There could very well be more still to be discovered."

The final published report by Wessex Archaeology said that the the form of the jugs was well known in the 2nd century AD across Britain and dated it around AD 140-180.

It suggested that both artefacts were wheel-made but in different hard, fine, pale firing fabrics, suggesting separate sources.

The full report can be found on www.scribd.com