SIR David Attenborough has been announced as one of the guest speakers at Lyme Regis Museum’s Mary Anning Weekend.

The world-famous natural history filmmaker is a patron of the museum.

He will be speaking at the event in October alongside other distinguished contributors, including author Tracy Chevalier, Professor Mike Benton of Bristol University and Tom Sharpe from the National Museum of Wales.

The museum is once again celebrating the life of Mary Anning, a working class woman from Lyme Regis who became the greatest fossil hunter the world has ever known.

Interest in her continues to grow and the museum will host a weekend in her honour on October 23 and 24.

Curator Mary Godwin said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Sir David, Tracy and Mike have agreed to participate in Mary Anning Weekend.

“Sir David will be giving a talk about pterodactyls and I know it will be a wonderful occasion. Our aim is to put on a really diverse weekend and give it a real ‘wow’ factor.”

Sir David, 84, is an admirer of Mary Anning and was recently in the town filming a 3D documentary about pterodactyls (also known as pterosaurs), an extinct flying reptile whose fossilised remains were discovered in Lyme by the pioneering palaeontologist.

The weekend will be packed with activities and information for anyone interested in the life and times of Mary Anning.

There will be something for people of all ages and all levels of expertise who want to find out more about Mary and her contemporaries, the history and study of palaeontology and the geology and landscape of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

The weekend will also include walks and talks.