A 2,000-year-old Roman mosaic has been saved from a water leak.

Staff at Fishbourne Roman Palace, near Chichester, noticed that the mosaic was waterlogged following a leak.

Engineers were called in and discovered that a pipe had corroded causing the leak, but damage was kept to a minimum. Museum director Christine Medlock said: “We were able to remain open with little disruption for visitors.”

Richard Keates, distribution engineer at Portsmouth Water, said: “We have recognised that a major supply main lies in very close proximity to such important artefacts.

“We want to re-site the trunk main, which supplies Birdham and the Witterings, away from the Palace.

“We are already in discussions with adjacent landowners with the intention of starting work early in the New Year.”