A 500-year-old mystery will be solved next month when archaeologists reveal the true location of the Battle of Bosworth.

Leading experts and willing volunteers have spent the past four years on a ground-breaking study to pinpoint the place where English history changed for ever.

Working from the county council's battlefield centre at Sutton Cheney, teams have worked exhaustively to locate evidence of the battle, covering acres of countryside.

The archaeologists used landscape mapping, soil sampling, metal detection and examined documents.

The study was extended beyond the three years originally planned, and in the closing stages the team discovered the crucial evidence they were looking for, including the biggest collection of cannonballs ever found on a medieval battle site.

Now, their findings are set to be announced at a conference headed by specialists including the director of the survey, Glenn Foard, of the Battlefields Trust.

The Battle of Bosworth, in 1485, is thought to be second only to the Battle of Hastings in its importance to English history. It marked the end of the 30-year War of the Roses and started the Tudor dynasty.

The archaeological study was largely financed with £1.3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

County councillor David Sprason said: "The conference announcements will add a new chapter to the history books."

The conference, where all will be revealed, is at County Hall, Glenfield, on February 20.