Plans to repair Roman museum damaged by thieves

Thieves stole materials from the museum's roof

Plans have been submitted to repair a Roman museum after thieves stole material from its roof.

Last year, copper and lead were ripped from the roof of Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum in Wallsend, North Tyneside.

Scaffolding was put up around the museum to carry out repairs, but the thieves returned and used the structure to access the roof again.

North Tyneside Council said the repair work would replace metal cladding with materials with no scrap value.

The thefts also led to the building suffering water leaks, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The proposed works are linked to a £499,000 grant from Arts Council England, but North Tyneside Council will also contribute to the repairs.

A spokesperson for the council, said: "The planning application is for changes to the museum buildings at Segedunum, which form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"This includes replacing metal cladding that was stolen from above the central entrance and shop with materials that have no scrap value to deter future thefts.

"The plans include a new air handling system and protective barriers on the main museum roof, funded by Arts Council England, to help maintain the right conditions within the museum to protect the artefacts and host exhibitions from other museums."

Segedunum became a scheduled ancient monument in 1982 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

The fort originally formed part of the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall.