Island top for dinosaur hunters

Teeth belonging to raptors were found on the island

The Isle of Wight has been named as one of the most important sites in the world for dinosaur finds.

It has been named with Egypt, Mongolia, the western USA and Argentina by the National Geographic magazine as the top places to find dinosaur remains.

Chris Lewis, from the Isle of Wight Council, said: "The listing confirms that the island remains the most important dinosaur site in Europe."

A collection of prehistoric finds is held at Sandown's Dinosaur Isle Museum.

Last year, teeth belonging to raptors were unearthed on the island - only the second example of such a discovery in the UK.

Mr Lewis said: "The island is classed with sites which have revolutionised our understanding of the dinosaurs and their world.

"As the study of dinosaurs is one of the most rapidly advancing areas in palaeontology, this underlines the global importance of the island's dinosaur heritage."