A west Dorset town has been revealed as the top destination for fossil hunting in the UK.

Lyme Regis, known as one of the most famous fossil beaches in the UK, has taken the number one spot for best destination to fossil hunt according to research conducted by holiday company Parkdean resorts.

Made popular for fossil finding by collector Mary Anning, an early pioneer of palaeontology in the 19th century, the site is home to 200 million years of history.

A statue of Anning and her dog was unveiled earlier this year to honour her work.

The statue is placed by Church Cliff beach – near where Mary lived and made her discoveries.

Not only has Lyme Regis been crowned a top spot to fossil hunt but neighbouring Charmouth was also placed in the top 10.

With the hashtag ‘fossiltok’ receiving over 78.5 million views on TikTok it seems discovers are keen to get hunting and the research comes as the best time of year to fossil hunt approaches.

Between November and April the beaches are churned up by the rough sea revealing more fossils – with the combination of rough seas and high tides producing the most fossils.

Fossil hunters are advised to check the tides however before setting out to avoid geting cut off. They should also be aware that it is extremely dangerous to climb or attempt to walk on the cliffs or mud flows. Look for fossils on the beaches and do not attempt to hammer at the cliffs.

The top 10 locations in the UK for fossil hunting are: 1, Lyme Regis, Dorset. 2, Abereiddy Bay, Pembrokeshire. 3, Herne Bay, Kent. 4, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. 5, Bracklesham Bay, Sussex. 6, Redcar, Durham. 7, Charmouth, Dorset. 8, Danes Dyke, Yorkshire. 9, Mappleton, Yorkshire. 10, Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire.