BUILDING work dating back hundreds of years has been discovered as renovation work on Newport Cathedral is carried out.

Nails and wooden trusses dating back to the 1500s have been found as builders carry out the £500,000 repair work on the north end of the roof.

Fr Mark Soady said as many builders in the 1500s were illiterate and unable to write their name, symbols have been scratched into beams in place of a signature.

After years of fundraising and planning, the scaffolding went up in March. Repairs are expected to take until October.

Fr Soady said people who bought a tile as part of fundraising efforts will have small caskets, measuring 6in by 6in, with the name of a loved one fitted in the roof as repairs are finished.

Advice is being taken on the best materials to use to ensure the names stand the test of time, and a time capsule will also be put in the new roof.

Cathedral bosses have begun raising the next £500,000 to finish the roof.

The appeal has raised more than £1 million since it was launched in July 2006, with a ten-year timetable to raise the money needed for all the necessary work.

Cash has been spent so far on ongoing emergency works throughout the cathedral, parts of which date back to the 12th century.

In total £2.5 million is needed to complete the project, which includes restoring stained glass windows, stonework and flooring. To donate, call 01633 212077 or visit www.newportcathedral.com