Further excavations in August and September 2021 revealed the sea dragon to measure around 33 feet (10m) in length and is thought to date back 180 million years – no wonder it was hailed as one of the UK's greatest fossil finds. However, it's not the first ichthyosaur to be found here, as two smaller and incomplete skeletons were uncovered in the 1970s. The well-preserved nature of Rutland’s most recent discovery makes it a much more significant find.

Now find out what the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World would look like today

Historic discoveries found in unusual places