Kind-hearted volunteers have unearthed a small piece of Casemates history that has not been seen in a half-century.

The 12-strong crew from Fat Tire Massive spent a day digging out the original steps that led up to the old prison in Dockyard.

The old stone steps are believed to have been under grass and earth since the 1960s.

The team of biking enthusiasts’ restoration efforts preceded the group’s annual mountain bike race that takes competitors through the historic West End site. Elena Strong, the National Museum curator, hailed the significance of the work and praised the group for its generosity.

“This is the third year that Fat Tire Massive has staged one of their races at the National Museum.

“The mountain bike race went through the entire 15.7-acre property, including through the Casemates Barracks building. We are thrilled that Fat Tire Massive wanted to make a contribution towards our restoration efforts with the clearing of the historic steps, which haven’t seen the light of day for over half of a century.

“It is through the generosity of volunteers such as these that the museum is able to continue its work of preserving and protecting the Dockyard fortifications.”