Unique and elaborate grave may belong to an Iron Age warrior who joined the struggle against Julius Caesar.

Archaeologists have announced the discovery of “the most elaborately equipped warrior grave ever found in England”.

The warrior, who has been described as a ‘real life Asterix’, was found buried in North Bersted, Sussex, with a helmet, sword, and ornate head-dress. Based on the equipment, they believe he was alive in about 50BC and may have fought with the Gauls and King Commius against Julius Caesar when his legionnaires swept across continental Europe and also attempted to conquer Britain.

Dr Melanie Giles, senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Manchester says “We will probably never know his name, what we know from the archaeology is that he is either someone from eastern England who may have gone and fought with the Gauls that we know was a problem for Caesar, we were allies with the French, helping them with their struggle against him”

“Or he might be a Frenchman himself who flees that conflict, possibly a real-life Asterix and coming to us, just as in Asterix in Britain, to lend us aid in terms of the knowledge he has about strategy, tactics, he knows Caesar is going to try to divide and rule.”

“He brings with him his kit, extraordinary weaponry, a beautiful sword which is not like the swords we have, a new technology, style and design and helmet which is absolutely unique with these wonderful Celtic openwork crests which exaggerate his height and make him absolutely fabulous.”

“It really is absolutely a unique find in the British Isles and in the wider continent, we don’t have another burial that combines this quality of weaponry and Celtic art with a date that puts it around the time of Caesar’s attempted conquest of Britain”