Fossil hunters praise the "kindness" of Peterborough firefighters following donation
“I was totally taken by surprise at the kindness the brigade have shown”
Palaentologists from March have thanked Peterborough fire fighters for donating vital tools used in the extraction of fossils.
Fossils Galore operates a mini museum and laboratory in High Street, March, along with organising various educational events and field trips.
Their discoveries so far include a 155 million year-old plesiosaur, a woolly mammoth tusk, and an Iguanodon.
But earlier this year, the team suffered a setback when some equipment was stolen.
After spotting a post about the theft on social media, Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade’s Chief Fire Officer, Anthony Gould, decided the crew should help.
"The plea came after their work vehicle was stolen, but thankfully it was returned after some tracking,” explained Mr Gould. “However, many items which were inside the vehicle were not returned, including vital tools.
“Fossils Galore preserve Earth’s history in the form of saving fossils which are discovered. The tools assist with the extraction and preservation of fossils, such as a mammoth tusk located within a quarry.
“PVFB decided to donate the tools which were stolen, to help the team get back to preserving history. With a group of 46 volunteers, the youngest being of the age of 8, this setback affected many.
"The museum provides an exciting venue to entertain and educate the younger generation about the dinosaurs which roamed before us. We are delighted to be able to assist.”
Palaeontologist Jamie Jordan, who runs Fossils Galore with partner and director Sarah Moore, visited the volunteer fire crew recently to collect the tools.
He said: “I was totally taken by surprise at the kindness the brigade have shown, and the support we’ve had. The tools they have donated to us will be immensely helpful, especially during our field season when we keeping an eye on things that are being uncovered at quarries around the country.”
• Fossils Galore is hosting an event called Iguanadon 200 next month, to mark the 200th year since the first specimen was discovered in 1825. Remains of Fossils Galore’s dinosaur ‘Indie’, currently in stone blocks, will be prepared live during the event, which runs from April 5-19, and features children’s activities.
• The volunteer fire brigade is planning an open day on July 25. For updates, visit their Facebook page.