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NEARLY 50 NEW SPECIES FROM DINOSAUR AGE DISCOVERED ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Many science publications around the globe are reporting this week on the news that an Island scientist has in the last four years discovered 48 new species from the age of the dinosaurs.

Dr Steve Sweetman who works as a palaeontologist at Portsmouth University made his discoveries in mud from the Isle of Wight. These fantastic finds are about 130 millions years old and shed valuable light on the poorly understood world in which well known dinosaurs roamed.

Steve, who grew up on the Isle of Wight, sometimes referred to as 'Dinosaur Isle' as it is the richest source of dinosaur remains in Europe, said: "It has taken me just four years of hard graft to make my discoveries. Living on the Isle of Wight made this research physically possible. You can get to most places within half an hour, so transporting tonnes of mud wasn't too much of an obstacle. It would have been near impossible if I had been based on the mainland.

In fact, The Island is the third most significant places in the World after China and the US for important fossil discoveries - expeditions for aspiring palaeontologists can be booked at Dinosaur Isle on Sandown seafront, tel. 01983 404344, www.dinosaurisle.com

Mr Steve Hutt, an expert at Isle of Wight Council run Dinosaur Isle said: "Dr Sweetman has made an amazing set of finds from local Weldon age rocks. These include teeth and other minute fragments which can only be found by sieving mud.

"This research gives us a wonderful new picture of the ancient Isle of Wight 125 million years ago and we are pleased to hold some of Dr Sweetman's material at Dinosaur Isle. Read more about the recent discoveries.