Tips for successful fossilhunting by paleontologist after 'largest ever' dinosaur footprint found

People need to keep their eyes peeled – no hammer is necessary – but a magnifying glass can come in handy to look for patterns in the rock.

Dr Herringshaw, director of the Yorkshire Fossil Festival, explains that around 182 million years ago there was a period of global warming, thought to have been caused by volcanic activity as the continents shifted, which caused the ocean to become “more acidic, stinky and stormy”.

"It became quite a hard place to live,” he said’ “Lots of things got fossilised. There were no creatures living on the seabed, otherwise things would get broken down and eaten.

“We have fantastic Jurassic rocks at the northern end, from Redcar to Filey, and then in the last Ice Age the glaciers picked up lots of rocks and fossils from the north and deposited them down the coast.

"Once you get south of Flamborough, people think the bed rock has stopped but the Ice Age clays are packed full of pebbles, and you can go to Holderness and find lots of them

"I’ve picked up Whitby ammonites at Spurn”.

For the last 200 years people have been finding fossils along the coast. Last week the discovery of the largest dinosaur footprint ever found in the region made the headlines.

The imprint, found in Burniston Bay, was left by a meat-eating theropod from the Jurassic period around 166 million years ago, scientists believe.

The abundant “petrifications” found around Whitby were the reason why its museum opened in 1823. Fittingly the museum will be the main location for the Yorkshire Fossil Festival as it celebrates its bicentenary.

A weekend of activities and events for all the family, for enthusiasts and professionals - most of them free - beckons on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June.

Dr Herringshaw said: “The festival will feature walks, talks, and tons of family-friendly events and entertainment. Visitors are invited to bring their own fossils to test the experts, work with palaeo-artists to bring ancient creatures back to life, and get their favourite rocks cut and polished to take home.”

Roger Osborne, curator of geology at Whitby Museum, added: "We’re really thrilled to be celebrating the museum’s bicentenary with this wonderful festival.

"It’s great to be able to show off our famous fossil collection and all the other treasures in Whitby Museum. Visitors will be amazed and entertained.”

Steve Cousins, aka The Rock Showman, was the ebullient master of ceremonies of last year’s festival, at Scarborough Spa, and will return this year as festival ringmaster, along with his award-winning Let’s Circus team.