ROMAN sites in Northumberland which were boosted by £6m of new facilities have seen visitor figures shoot up by 40%.

In April, the Duchess of Northumberland visited Vindolanda Roman fort and its sister site, the Roman Army Museum at Carvoran, to open museums and displays at both sites. The new facilities represented the culmination of £6m worth of investment, intended to underline Hadrian’s Wall as one of the world’s key historical tourist attractions.

The radical revamp formed part of a project backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and One North East. Vindolanda Trust director Patricia Birley said: “It’s great to know that our redevelopments have been so popular.

“We are always so pleased that people enjoy both sites and all the new activities that we have to offer.

“We have had some fantastic visitor feedback.”