A geology tour guide has discovered a fossilised dinosaur footprint believed to be 170m years old along the coast near Whitby.
Steve Cousins, aka the “Rock Showman”, was taking a school trip on an educational fossil walk at Saltwick Bay when he noticed the imprint in a sandstone rock.
Dr Herringshaw explained: “Middle Jurassic footprint-bearing sandstones are found in rocks across the North York Moors and along the tops of many of the cliffs along the North Yorkshire coast.
Although still awaiting official confirmation, Mr Cousins believes the footprint came from the back foot of a stegosaur, dating back around 170m years.
“To me, all of the North Yorkshire stretch of coast is an outdoor museum,” Mr Cousins added.
A fossilized dinosaur footprint thought to be 170 million years old was found by a geology tour guide near Whitby.
Steve Cousins, also known as the “Rock Showman,” discovered the imprint in a sandstone rock while leading a class on an educational fossil walk at Saltwick Bay.
“Every child was ecstatic,” he said. It was wonderful that this discovery was shared with others and that it served as such a genuine educational opportunity. “..”.
The fossil, thought to be a stegosaur footprint, is currently free for the public to view at Jet Bistro in nearby Whitby Holiday Park.
Previously hidden beneath the sand, the fossil was found next to one of the footprints that Mr. Cousins frequently visits with his tour groups.
The palaeontologist Dr. Liam Herringshaw, whom Mr. Cousins contacted, used an app to take a 3D scan of the rock in order to confirm his discovery.
According to Dr. Herringshaw, “Rocks throughout the North York Moors and along the summits of many of the cliffs along the North Yorkshire coast contain Middle Jurassic footprint-bearing sandstones.”.
The thing that surprises people, in my opinion, is how common they are. They aren’t very common in the rest of the world, but in Yorkshire, there are rocks that are the right age and type, and they can be found on the beaches of Whitby, Scarborough, and many other locations along the coast. “..”.
He explained how these fossils kept showing up, saying: “Sandstones formed in the middle of the Jurassic period are the source of almost all the dinosaur footprints we find on the Yorkshire coast.
Tectonic forces have pushed our crust back up in the last few million years as a result of the pressure from Africa and Europe colliding and creating mountains like the Pyrenees and Alps. “,”.
According to Mr. Cousins, the footprint dates back approximately 170 million years and was left by the rear foot of a stegosaur, though official confirmation is still pending.
When he said, “I always find something like this along the coast, especially when it’s clear enough to be able to say ‘I’m pretty sure this is that,'” it’s always really special.
“When it comes to dinosaur footprints, you probably won’t be able to identify a front leg or a back leg, but you will get some prints that are just textbook examples. “..”.
Earth Science Outreach UK is a charity that Mr. Cousins and Dr. Herringshaw co-founded with the intention of educating the public about local geology and palaeontology events and tours.
To advance knowledge and comprehension of the prehistoric era, both men are fervently committed to making any discoveries publicly available.
Using his expertise in geology and the performing arts, Mr. Cousins frequently performs as “Mr Rock Showman” at science fairs, museums, and festivals. He also leads educational walking tours to look for fossils along North Yorkshire’s beaches.
Mr. Cousins went on to say, “I think the entire North Yorkshire coastline is an outdoor museum.”.
“Getting to take people to this coastline and help them figure out what they’re looking for is one of the pleasures of my life. “,”.
