Dippy the Diplodocus being packed up and is coming to the Midlands

Dippy the Diplodocus is set to be "flat packed" ahead of his nationwide tour which includes a visit to Birmingham Museum.

It's one of the Natural History Museums best-recognised exhibits, a 70ft (21.3m) plaster-cast sauropod replica made up of 292 bones.

A team of six will start dismantling Dippy piece by piece - beginning with thetail - over three-and-a-half weeks.They expect him to fit into 12 crates.

Made in 1905 Dippy took up residence in Hintze Hall in 1979 and in 1993 had his tail raised - in that time it is estimated he has been viewed by more than 90million visitors.

Dippy's tour will start in early 2018.

Dippy's coveted spot at the entrance to the museum is being taken by the realskeleton of an 83ft (25.2m) female blue whale, weighing 4.5 tonnes.

She will take up position from summer this year in a diving pose as she issuspended from the ceiling of the hall.