FOSSIL fans are gearing up for the second annual Yorkshire Fossil Festival in Scarborough this week.

Scarborough Museums Trust, in partnership with The Palaeontological Association, is hosting the festival in and around the town’s Rotunda Museum from Friday to Sunday, with events ranging from public talks from leading scientists to fun for young children.

The T-Rex who proved such a hit outside the Rotunda during the Tour de Yorkshire in May makes a welcome return on Saturday and Sunday, and dinosaur fans can also meet the co-presenter of the recent ITV programme, Dinosaur Britain, Dean Lomax.

Events for children will include sand sculpting and workshops from Sand in your Eye (Saturday and Sunday afternoons), rockpooling trips (Saturday at 11am and Sunday at 1pm) and a dinosaur footprint walk (Sunday from noon to 4pm).

There will be two talks at Scarborough Library – on Friday at 7pm, David Bond, NERC Advanced Research Fellow at the University of Hull, will look at the environmental change during Earth’s greatest mass extinction events. On Saturday at 4.30pm, Dr Alexander Dunhill, Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, will give a family-friendly talk about the dinosaurs that once roamed the Yorkshire Coast.

Tickets for the talks are free, but must be booked in advance by phoning Rotunda Museum on 01723 353665.

Debbie Seymour, chief executive of Scarborough Museums Trust, said: “Last year’s Fossil Festival was a huge success, and this year’s will be even bigger and better, with something for all ages. There’ll be plenty of experts around for anyone who wants to bring along a fossil they have found for identification.”

The event is looking for volunteers to help out across the weekend – anyone willing to help should phone SMT’s volunteer manager Julie Baxter on 01723 3384506 or email julie.baxter@smtrust.uk.com

For further information, visit scarboroughmuseumstrust.org.uk