St Piran emerges from the sand...

The excavation has begun to uncover St Piran's Oratory in Cornwall.The week-long project, to be carried out by a team of volunteers led by archaeologists, is the culmination of a 15 year campaign by the St Piran Trust.

Buried to protect it from the elements in 1980, the 5th century stone structure set in sand dunes above Perranporth, is claimed by some historians to be the oldest Christian building in Britain.

Ian Saltern from the St Piran Trust, and Cornish MP Sarah Newton, say it's an historic day:-