What's it like to take part in an archaeological dig? I joined the excavation at Shaftesbury Park, Carrickfergus to find out

With the castle as its enduring landmark, Carrickfergus is often regarded as one of the most historically significant towns in Northern Ireland.
It has been the site of numerous archaeological digs in the past, with the latest excavation at Shaftesbury Park aiming to unearth the story behind a fort marked on an 1830s map of the area.
The project is part of the Community Archaeology Programme NI (CAPNI) by the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen’s University Belfast, a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported scheme that invites the public to participate in archaeological fieldwork.