The Leicester car park where the remains of Richard III were found has been given protected status by Historic England after being listed as a scheduled monument.

The last Plantagenet king was hastily laid to rest after his death in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 in a medieval monastic site, the remains of which now lie beneath a council car park.

Now, the 13th century Greyfriars has been listed as a scheduled monument.

It is thought the archaeological site - "one of the most significant in our national history" because of its connection to the dramatic events around the final battle of the War of the Roses - is well preserved under the city centre car park.

Making the friary into a scheduled monument means it is preserved for future generations, with special consent required before any work or changes can be made.

Richard's skeleton was found during an archaeological excavation at Leicester City Council's car park in 2012 and was confirmed as his remains following DNA analysis of the bones which matched that of living descendants.