A distant relative of our friend T-rex has been discovered in Wales.  The animal lived about 201 million years ago and could represent the earliest dinosaur from the Jurassic.  It was found by brothers Nick and Rob Hanigan from Llantwit Major while fossil hunting along the Lavernock beach in the Vale of Glamorgan.

The “discovery of a lifetime” was made by Nick and Rob Hanigan from Llantwit Major while fossil hunting along the Lavernock beach in the Vale of Glamorgan after storms in spring 2014.

After a cliff fall on the beach, they spotted several loose blocks containing part of the skeleton of a small dinosaur and collected the specimen, including its razor sharp teeth, and claws.

The fossilised bones were found spread across five slabs of rock and although some were preserved together in the correct position, others had been scattered and separated by the actions of scavenging fish and sea-urchins.

The specimen was preserved with the fossilised remains of these sea-urchins.