The dig is taking place on the cliff-top

The group, from Cardiff University, are carrying out the first investigation of the site at West Angle Bay.

A skeleton has been found in the area, and the archaeologists hope to find more graves so they can establish the age of the site using carbon dating.

They think the cemetery could date back to some time between 300-1000 AD.

Organisers said the excavation had to take place because of fears the whole site could soon be lost forever to coastal erosion.

Student Polly Singer said they had not found much in the first few days of the dig, but said they remained hopeful.

Polly Singer said the students were optimistic

"We are hoping to find the extent of the medieval cemetery," she said

"Hopefully [we will find] some bodies so we can carbon date them and find the date of the cemetery, and just know more about what was happening in the area.

"Also on the earliest Ordnance Survey maps, there is a chapel marked, though the boundary isn't really known, so we are hoping to find some evidence of that."

Dr Neil Ludlow, who is directing the dig, said the project arose from the discovery of bones at the site in 1987.

He added: "At that time the bones were collected up and taken away to a safe place.

"All that we know is that they belong to part of a larger cemetery complex which occupies the eroding cliff face on the south side of West Angle bay.

"We want to establish whether the graves are part of a much much larger complex or whether they are lying in individual groups."

He said certain graves would be excavated and the bones taken out.

"Those that are taken out will be studied scientifically but they will be reburied in West Angle bay," he said.