A NEW ichthyosaur has gone on display at a popular heritage centre in term for the half-term holiday.

This October half term is expected to be a busy one at Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

The centre, an educational charity, will be open seven days a week from 10.30am to 4.30 pm with the last entry at 4.15 pm.

Recent new additions include the ichthyosaur found by Mark Linne during lockdown.

The fossil dig tray has also been reinstated and children will be able to brush sand away and discover fossils for themselves.

There are exquisite fossil specimens and dinosaur exhibits on display, most of which have been found locally and are around 200 million years old. The centre is also home to the 'sea dragon', a remarkable 200-million-year-old fossil - the bones of an ichthyosaur - featured in a David Attenborough documentary.

Recent finds are always being added and visitors can watch a film detailing how to hunt for fossils.

Fossil walks can be booked on the website at www.charmouth.org/chcc/

Entry to the centre is free and there is ample parking.

There are opportunities for new volunteers who can help on the desk and also behind the scenes, who will become part of the development of the increasingly popular coast centre.

For more information, phone 01297 560772 or email info@charmouth.org