When woolly mammoth roamed about Ryedale (From Gazette & Herald)

When woolly mammoth roamed about Ryedale

GEOLOGISTS are searching for evidence of prehistoric times in the Ryedale area.

Members of the British Geological Survey (BGS) are to visit the Vale of York to carry out a study of the landscape during the Ice Age when woolly mammoths walked the district countryside.

Executive director Dr David Falvey said: "In order to do this we are keen to know of any pit, road cutting, or trench revealing the rocks and soil in the area between York, Pocklington, Malton and Easingwold."

He added: "The finding might be the missing piece in a jigsaw which explains what happened here 12,000 years ago. If the site turns out to be really important, your farm, locality or town could even become the official name for this geological formation."

People are being asked to send a short description of any site and its location. Geologists from the BGS will visit a site and those highlighting it to the survey will be given an "on-the-spot" geological assessment.

The BGS, which is part of the Natural Environment Research Council, receives half of its budget, about £20m in the current financial year, to deliver public good geoscience programmes, manage a national archive of geoscience information and provide advice and information in the national interest.

It also carries out commissioned research which serves specific interests of government departments and agencies, local government and the private sector.

Further information can be obtained from Holger Kessler at the BGS headquarters at Keyworth, near Nottingham, phone (0115) 936 3497.

Updated: 11:07 Monday, October 06, 2003