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Magnificent feat of footprint recovery
A DINOSAUR footprint described by experts as "out of this world" has been removed from Scarborough's coastline.
The giant fossilised print, embedded in a sandstone boulder weighing a third of a ton, was moved from the beach at Burniston.
The ambitious operation to recover the 2ft long footprint involved 25 volunteers from Scarborough Sub-Aqua Club, North East Yorkshire Geology Trust, Scarborough Council geologists and Malton-based engineering company Trans-core.
The print is thought to have been made by a megalosaurus, pictured right, a fearsome carnivore that roamed Yorkshire during the Jurassic period 160 million years ago.
It was discovered by John Hudson, a member of the sub-aqua club and local geologist, in December 2004. Mr Hudson described it as "the find of a lifetime" and reported his discovery to the museums service in Scarborough. Permission was given by English Nature for the footprint to be recovered, and a plan was devised to move the ancient fossil.
Various methods of removal were considered before sub-aqua club member Chris Robinson, who works for Transcore, built a special raft, which had its first outing during the annual Boxing Day raft race in the harbour, where it was tested.
Dinosaur Coast project officer Will Watts said: "Without the support of the sub-aqua club this footprint could not have been recovered – the raft was a superb piece of engineering."
After weeks of waiting for the right weather, the day finally arrived.
The volunteers began the day by towing the empty raft behind the sub-aqua club's boat. The raft was then towed ashore by two divers.
The 300kg block was then loaded into the raft and carefully packed. The raft and its precious cargo was then carried over the slippery rocks to the water's edge, where four 45 gallon drums were attached to provide buoyancy. The raft was then towed back to the harbour.
The raft made it back to harbour without a hitch, where a crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle.
A crane loaned by Transcore then lifted the footprint from the raft into a waiting trailer.
Mr Robinson said: "The day went far better than any of us expected."
The print is now being stored by Scarborough Museums and Gallery Service, where it will take around six months to dry out.
It will be displayed at the Rotunda Museum when it reopens in 2007.
Mr Watts said: "The day was a huge success, the footprint is now safe from the elements and will be a star exhibit at the Rotunda for all the public to see.
"Without all the people who were involved this would not be the case. It has been great to work with such keen and innovative people."
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Weather for Scarborough
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
