A massive dinosaur print discovered along the Yorkshire coastline has been confirmed as the region’s largest.

Found in April 2021 by local archaeologist Marie Woods, the footprint is almost a metre long and dates back to the Jurassic period.

A study from the University of Manchester suggests the meat-eating theropod was likely crouched down when it made the print. Around 166 million years ago.

‘I couldn’t believe what I was looking at, I had to do a double take,’ said Ms Woods, a co-author on the study.

‘I have seen a few smaller prints when out with friends, but nothing like this. I can no longer say that “archaeologists don’t do dinosaurs”.’

The print was found at Burniston Bay. It had actually been spotted five months earlier by another fossil hunter, but was partly obscured so it’s true importance wasn’t recognised.

Lead researcher and local geologist John Hudson said: ‘This important discovery adds further evidence that meat-eating giants once roamed this area during the Jurassic.’

‘The type of footprint, combined with its age, suggests that it was made by a ferocious Megalosaurus-like dinosaur, with a possible hip height between two and a half and three metres.’

The footprint has been donated to Scarborough Museum and Galleries.

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