MUSEUM volunteers unearthed 19th Century artefacts when refurbishing a garden wall.

The team of workers at the Cater Museum, in High Street, Billericay, made the find when they uncovered a dump used by people living in the building before it became a museum.

Victorian pipes, ginger beer jars and medicine bottles containing liquid were among the six crates of items recovered.

A brick floor, believed to be Georgian, was also found as the volunteers repointed the the musum's listed back wall.

Christine Brewster, curator, said: "We think some of the items belonged to the Eales family who lived in the building from the 1860s.

"They were a very important family - Fred Eales was Mr Billericay' as he was heavily involved in the town."

The items were discovered when work to replace the garden wall and rear facade of the building, funded by a £41,000 Heritage Lottery Grant, was being carried out.

Many of the pieces will go on display when the museum re-opens, while some will go into a loan box which is taken to schools around the area.

Mrs Brewster said: "This will strengthen the collection of the Museum. It gives us an insight into the lives of people who lived in Billericay."

The museum re-opens on July 26 with disabled access and virtual tour facilities.