The Natural History Museum of London (NHM) have confirmed that the strange indentations on Penarth beach brought to their attention by resident Kerry Rees (58) are very likely to be dinosaur tracks.

An analysis of the prints is currently being undertaken, with NHM scientists saying they do not yet know which dinosaur the prints belong to.

Prof Paul Barrett, Merit Researcher at the NHM, cautiously commented:

"We're pretty convinced that these are dinosaur tracks but are aware there are other geological processes that can create track-like features. We've just started our work on the site so hope to have a definite answer soon.

"Kerry found a series of large indentations on the beach - these are deep, round in outline and bear many of the hallmarks of dinosaur tracks, as they seem to be regularly spaced and have raised mud rims like those that form as a foot pushes into wet mud or sand".

In an exclusive interview with Nub News, Kerry Rees described how she came across the tracks:

"I knew we had a history of dinosaur discoveries along this coastline - lots of fossils, the footprints in Barry 40 years ago, the baby dinosaur skeleton found off Lavernock Point, etc. So I was aware that dinosaurs once roamed our beaches, and I couldn't think what else it could be.

"I just happened to be walking along the beach that day (9 April), the sun was behind me and it was very beautiful and I just sort of stumbled across them, took some pictures and that was that really.

"First I just showed my friends, but bored in lockdown I thought 'I should really do something with this,' so I did."

Nub News asked Kerry what it feels like to be involved in such an important event in the town's history and to contribute so significantly to paleontological science.

"Well, if it is that, I'm very very excited. Who wouldn't be? It's great to have something so important so local and I'm really glad I did what I did now!"

Dr Susannah Maidment, another researcher working on the project, added the following:

"The rocks that these possible tracks are preserved in date from the Late Triassic period so, if we're right, they're among some of the oldest evidence of dinosaurs in the UK. Other trackways of similar age, and one good dinosaur skeleton, have been found a few miles along the coast, near Barry, so south Wales was a busy area for dinosaurs at the time."

We have heard reports that the tracks had actually been discovered a few years ago by scientists at the University of Cardiff.

A source told us:

"They were discovered several years ago and a student from the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Cardiff University, working with a colleague of mine, did an undergrad project on them 18 months ago. Their exact location was being kept quiet to avoid them being the target of fossil hunters until they could be worked on in more detail."

More on this to follow.