Experts to examine 'mammoth' tusk

The tusk was found close to the ancient footprints site

A man who claims to have discovered a mammoth's tusk on a beach is hoping experts will verify his prehistoric discovery.

Steve Maitland Thomas found the 34inch (86cm) tusk on Kenfig beach, Bridgend, just weeks after he unearthed a set of ancient human footprints in the area.

An American scientist believes it belonged to a mammoth that lived in Wales around 6,000 years ago.

However, others think it came from an Asian elephant, an endangered species.

Mr Thomas discovered the tusk when he was showing his brother Mark where he found a set of prehistoric human footprints in a peat bed a few weeks ago.

He said: "I noticed this white hollow tube sticking out of the ground."

Archaeologists working on the footprints site helped him carefully excavate the tusk, which weighed 6lbs (2.7kg).

"We were all excited because we thought we had found a tusk belonging to a woolly mammoth," he added.

"They were really common around here about 10,000 years ago and some of their remains have been found in the Gower."

He took the tusk home and stored it in the bath overnight before contacting experts at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, who then alerted London's Natural History Museum.

Mr Thomas found the tusk on a walk with his brother Mark

Mr Thomas said: "I was quite disappointed when they came back to me and said it probably wasn't a mammoth tusk and was more likely to belong to an Asiatic elephant.

"So I contacted another expert and have had a very positive response that it is likely to be a mammoth tusk."

Mr Thomas emailed pictures to Dr Larry Agenbroad, a professor at Northern Arizona University, and the principle investigator at a site in South Dakota where the remains of up to 55 mammoths have so far been found.

Dr Agenbroad told BBC Wales News Online: "I would be quite certain it is a woolly mammoth tusk, by its size and diameter."

He added: "I feel this is an important discovery."

Mr Thomas is now contacting other mammoth experts, including University College London professor Dr Adrian Lister who will examine it in April, in the hope of having its age verified.

"If it is indeed a mammoth tusk, it is very rare in Wales and would be at least 6,000 years old after which they became extinct here," he said.