Giant of the deep surfaces in the Midlands in one of Britain’s ‘greatest ever’ prehistoric finds

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Dr Dean Lomax, a palaeontologist who has studied the species, said: “Despite the many ichthyosaur fossils found in Britain, it is remarkable to think that the Rutland ichthyosaur is the largest skeleton ever found in the UK. It is a discovery discovery and one of the greatest finds in British palaeontological history.

“Not only is it the largest ichthyosaur skeleton ever found in Britain, but it is also the most complete skeleton of a large prehistoric reptile ever discovered in the UK. And yes, that includes dinosaurs.”

When they first spotted the remains poking out of some clay, team members at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust were unsure about their origins and suggested that they could simply be pipes. After speaking to Rutland council, experts from the University of Leicester were called and the ichthyosaur skeleton was identified.

The remains were dug out by a team of expert palaeontologists from around the UK in August and September. They worked in partnership with Anglian Water, Rutland County Council and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

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