TO LINK in with the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin and a mass read of the classic adventure The Lost World, Sidmouth Library hosted a fossil talk for children during half term.

TO LINK in with the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin and a mass read of the classic adventure The Lost World, Sidmouth Library hosted a fossil talk for children during half term.

Meirel Whaites, senior warden at Charmouth Heritage Conservation Centre, ran the fully booked Fossil Fantastic fun session.

"I talked about fossils found at Charmouth and Lyme Regis then had a question and answer session," said Meirel, whose career was inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book.

Children did fossil mould painting and ammonite slice polishing and were able to keep them.

Sidmouth Library gave each child a copy of The Lost World after the event. Thousands of copies of the book are being distributed across the West Country to mark the author's 150th birthday.