Angry Pompeii workers 'tear down part of ancient Roman house in clash with management'

Workers at the protected Roman city of Pompeii have been accused of destroying part of an ancient house amid an ugly dispute with management.

Italian police have launched an investigation into claims that staff tore down part of a stone wall at the House of Citharist.

The collapsed section was discovered a day after guards at the famous tourist attraction called a meeting to discuss problems in the workplace.

But management intervened because it would have taken place during working hours and shut down the Unesco World Heritage Site which is visited by around three million people a year.

Massimo Osanna, archaeological superintendent of the site near Naples, blocked the shutdown by bringing in extra members of staff.

The wall crumbled out of the view of CCTV and no witnesses have come forward claiming to have seen someone wilfully damaging the heritage site, Italian media reported.

Still, Mr Osanna has pointed the finger at disgruntled workers and defended his decision to bring in more staff to keep the site open.

"This is not the first time they have done this," he told Italian media in a quote translated by The Times. "It’s blackmail by the unions, because closing the site creates embarrassment for us around the world and undermines the work we are doing here. But I am not taking orders. I am in charge here."

Union leader Antonio Pepe denied the claims, saying: "We love this place. We respect it."

Mr Osanna said he doesn't have any proof that the wall was knocked over by staff, calling it "a very strange coincidence".

He complained that staff have previously called a number meetings which have forced officials to close all or part of Pompeii.

Last year he told politicians and reporters gathered at an event that he hoped Italy's government would consider putting migrants to work at cultural sites such as Pompeii.

Photos posted online show a pile of stones at the base of the collapsed section of wall, measuring 1.5 square metres.

House of Citharist was one of Pompeii's largest aristocratic houses and was created in 1st Century BC when two homes were merged into one.

The dwelling was so large that it had a bakery and tavern.

Along with the rest of Pompeii it was destroyed and buried under ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and killed thousands of people.

Excavations of the archaeological site at the base of the volcano began in 1748, and there are now concerns that tourists are wearing out the ruins as thousands visit every day.

A number of ancient stone structures have collapsed in recent years, although torrential rain is usually to blame.

Restoration and preservation efforts have increased after the European Union and Italian government provided €105m (approximately £90m) in funding in 2012.

In 2015 the site launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise more than €50,000 (approximately £42,000) to restore a bedroom.