200 million-year old fossil found Dorset beach

The near-complete skeleton of the ichthyosaur was found on Boxing Day after the storms o Credit: Fossil Focus

The storms may be bringing chaos to many but for one person they've had a rather unexpected outcome.

A fossil hunter could be around £6,000 better off after uncovering a 200 million-year-old ichthyosaur off the Jurassic Coast in Dorset.

The skeleton of the five-feet-long giant, toothy marine reptile that resembled a dolphin was embedded in rocks near Charmouth Beach, close to Lyme Regis.

Alan Saxon, who comes from Chippenham, found the fossil on Boxing Day after violent storms on the Dorset coast. It was a find that must have made other fossil hunters very jealous.

The almost entire skeleton was removed with the help of professional fossil hunter Paul Crossley, just before another storm was due.

You can see a video of the operation here, courtesy of Fossil Focus films:

The ichthyosaur will need major conservation work but the finder, Alan Saxon, hopes it will soon be on display in a museum for all to see.

You can watch Jeff Welch's full report here: