TRIBUTES have been paid to a fossiling pioneer from Lyme Regis who has died at the age of 71.

David Costin co-owned the Old Forge Fossil Shop in Broad Street and the workshop in Charmouth with Chris Moore.

His work of preparing fossils with acid has allowed discoveries to be displayed all over the world - with his work described as a "huge contribution" to the field.

Mr Costin was also known for discovering a new species of ichthyosaur, similar to the creature which legendary Lyme Regis fossil hunter Mary Anning rose to fame for, almost 200 years ago.

Mr Moore said: "He collected fossils all his adult life. He discovered a new species of ichthyosaur on the Somerset coast which was named in his honour, the Excalibasaurus Costini.

"The new species is a little bit of immortality for him.

"He was one of the pioneers of preparing certain kinds of fossil reptiles using acid to dissolve the rock leaving almost perfect preservation. He used this technique on a giant ichthyosaur on display in Bristol Museum and on an almost complete dinosaur discovered in the cliffs of Charmouth."

"He will be sadly missed by his family and the whole of the fossiling community."

Specimens Mr Costin prepared can be seen all over the world including the Natural History Museum, Tokyo Science Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

Mr Moore added: "He made a huge contribution to the fossiling community.

"He has prepared quite a number of new species. He prepared a species of ichthyosaur that I found, which is now at the Natural History Museum. His contribution to paleontology is really big.

"He always had a real love of natural history.

"He started finding fossils along the coast and his passion grew from that really.

"He loved everything from archaeology and paleontology to nature."

David leaves his wife Jeannette, daughters Liane and Alanda and five grandchildren.