Footprints project in north Norfolk wins prestigious archeological award

A project which uncovered some of the world's oldest human footprints, on the north Norfolk coast has won Rescue Dig of the Year at the prestigious Current Archeological Awards for 2015.

Experts believe the footprints, which were found on a beach at Happisburgh in May 2013, are more than 800,000 years old. This makes them the oldest human footprints to be discovered outside Africa.

Archeologists uncovered them during a dig on the bank of what was once the River Thames. During the Ice Age the river was pushed further south towards Essex, where it runs today. Since the discovery in 2013 the footprints have been washed away, but experts believe further erosion may reveal more important finds.

Professor Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum and Dr Simon Lewis of Queen Mary, University of London, accepted the award on behalf of the Happisburgh Project team.