Carrick has also made a compelling case for getting the manager’s job on a full-time basis, especially as a couple of the more experienced, successful and Premier League-ready alternatives Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti have committed themselves to their international jobs at England and Brazil beyond the summer.

Roberto de Zerbi has been sacked by Marseille, while Oliver Glasner might well suffer the same fate at Crystal Palace before he leaves when his contract expires in the summer. Their credentials wouldn’t look quite so attractive against Carrick’s if he did get United back into Europe’s elite club competition.

They would also be a more attractive proposition commercially.

At a time when questions are starting to be asked about the club’s ability to do deals and the lack of a training ground or kit sponsor, that is quite important.

In addition, although it is some way in the future, if United’s new stadium plans eventually proceed, funding will be based around a significant percentage of expensive ‘premium’ seats.

While club officials have stressed no decisions around ticket prices have been taken, a document sent to season ticket holders in October placed indicative prices at £4,830 for season tickets on the lower tier of the stand opposite the dugouts, with hospitality prices rising to £424,800 for a 16-seat large private box in the middle tier of the main stand, level with the halfway line.

Clearly, supporters are more likely to be willing to pay such figures if they were watching a team competing for major trophies, something that has not happened since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

The club’s huge debt, way in excess of £1bn including outstanding transfer fee payments, might at least not need to be increased too.

Over the past six weeks, Carrick has repeatedly stressed he is not getting carried away by his side’s impressive form. After the Everton win, a question was put to him about the triumph providing belief around Champions League qualification on a weekend when Villa and Chelsea both drew at home and Liverpool needed an injury-time winner at Nottingham Forest.

Carrick’s answer bore no relation to the core point he was being asked. There is logic behind this. Results can change narratives very quickly in football.

When he took over at Middlesbrough in 2022, Carrick won 15 of his first 20 league games, then only three of the next 12. A potential automatic promotion place turned into a play-off meeting with Coventry, which Middlesbrough lost. They never got as close to promotion again under the former England midfielder.

He knows his team are well-placed to seal their Champions League return. Completing the job is the task now.

A New York college professor has been slammed for making an “abhorrent,” racist comment during a public meeting.

Allyson Friedman, an associate professor at Hunter College, allegedly made the widely condemned remarks on February 10 during a debate centered around New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to close several schools on Manhattan’s West Side.

Friedman allegedly made the comments moments after a Black student expressed their sadness over the possible closure of the school.

“They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school,” Friedman said. “If you train a Black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back.

“You don’t have to tell them anymore,” Friedman, who was attending the meeting virtually, added.

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According to The New York Times, Friedman was referencing a comment made earlier in the meeting by Reginald Higgins, the school district’s acting superintendent.

Higgins had, at one point, referred to Carter G. Woodson, one of the first scholars to study the history of the Black diaspora in the United States.

“If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door,” Woodson had once famously said. “He will go without being told.”

Friedman’s comments, though, were audible for everyone at the meeting.

“Allyson Friedman, what you’re saying is absolutely hearable here,” one person said. “You’ve got to stop.”

Meanwhile, frowns and gasps can be seen on the students’ faces attending the Zoom meeting. Some were left with their mouths agape, while several others covered their faces.

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In a statement provided to The NYT, Friedman said that she was trying to “explain the concept of systemic racism” to her child, who was in the room with her.

In order to do that, she wrote that she referenced “an example of an obviously racist trope.”

“My complete comments make clear these abhorrent views are not my own, nor were they directed at any student or group,” she continued. “I fully support these courageous students in their efforts to stop school closures.

“However, I recognize these comments caused harm and pain, while that was not my intent I do truly apologize.”

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Friedman is an associate professor in cellular neurobiology. According to the university’s website, she specializes in exploring how neural circuits and neuroadaptations influence human behavior.

“The goal of this research is to expand our neurophysiological understanding of mood and anxiety disorders in order to find targets for mechanistically driven therapeutics,” her webpage continues.

Friedman’s comments were made during a meeting about a possible plan to close Hunter College, which is just one of several schools included in a proposed wave of changes.

Plans seen by The NYT propose closing middle school programs at the Community Action School and the Manhattan School for Children, due to low enrollment. Meanwhile, the Center School, which educates fifth to eighth graders, could be moved to a new campus.

The educational institution could be moved to P.S./I.S. 191, another school that would lose its middle school grades.

Hunter College told The Independent that the university is reviewing Friedman’s comments.

“Hunter College is aware of an incident during a recent virtual meeting of the New York City School District 3 Community Education Council in which abhorrent remarks were heard coming from a district parent who also is a Hunter employee,” a school spokesperson wrote in a statement. “Even as these remarks were made in the individual’s role as a private citizen and we understand that the district is conducting an investigation into the matter, Hunter College is reviewing the situation under the university’s applicable conduct and nondiscrimination policies.

“In service to Hunter College, we expect our community members’ actions and words to comport with our institutional identity, values, and policies,” the statement continued. “We stand firm in our enduring commitment to sustain an inclusive educational environment that is free of discrimination of any kind, in which people of all identities will feel welcome and can thrive.”

The Independent has contacted Friedman for comment.

An “overwhelming” portion of responses to a North Yorkshire Council (NYC) consultation on its Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), introduced on the North Yorkshire Coast in 2024, have objected to the scheme.

​The ​ETRO was introduced to restrict overnight parking at Sandsend, Royal Albert Drive, and Cayton Bay after North Yorkshire council said the number of motorhomes using the specified streets had reached an “unacceptable level” and followed increasing complaints from members of the public.

​However, since its introduction, thousands of residents have reportedly also complained about the “displacement effects” of the order.

​North Yorkshire Council has been undertaking a consultation on the “impacts of the prohibitions and needs” to determine a way forward in advance of the ETRO expiring in May.

​A decision on the future of the scheme will be made in April .

​“With more than 3,000 responses to the consultation, there are many subject matters covered which are outside the scope of the ETRO and the decision whether it should be made permanent,” according to a report prepared for a council meeting next month.

​It notes, however, that “it is clear that there was an overwhelming response to the consultation objecting to the ETRO”.

​It adds: “It may also be interesting to note that over two-thirds of the respondents declared that they were motorhome owners, and of these 90 per cent of them objected, or strongly objected to the ETRO.

​“A lot of the comments alongside these objections made reference to wanting to return to the locations to continue parking overnight.”

​Members of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee are set to discuss the issue at a meeting in Whitby on Monday, March 2.

​NYC’s report states that “motor caravans are as welcome at seafront parking locations as any other vehicle in the daytime, but extended stays, which usually include overnight parking, restrict the ability of other visitors to find suitable parking when visiting the area for recreation”.

​Fire safety concerns have also been a key consideration, according to the council, which noted that the Fire Authority “has received a number of complaints and attended incidents on the Marine Drive and Royal Albert Drive, and has concerns with regard to fire spread”.

​Alternative options have been considered by the council, such as charging for overnight parking.

​However, officers said that “the concerns and issues with overnight parking would not be alleviated by this proposal and could result in exacerbating the existing adverse impacts on amenity”.

​Although the council “noted that the consultation has given a large number of objections to the ETRO”, it highlighted that “the vast majority of objections did not relate to the reasons behind the scheme”.

​“However, the objections and the comments made therein will be considered in the forthcoming review of parking in Scarborough and Whitby in the near future .”

A tearful Savannah Guthrie offered up to $1 million for information leading to the recovery of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, who was abducted from her home three weeks ago.

“It is day 24 since our mom was taken in the dark of night from her bed, and every hour and minute and second, and every long night has been agony since then, of worrying about her and fearing about her, aching for her and most of all just missing her,” the Today show host said in a video shared Tuesday morning to her Instagram account.

“We know that millions of you have been praying — so many people — have been praying, of every faith and no faith at all. And we feel those prayers,” she said. “Please keep praying without ceasing.”

“We still believe in a miracle. We still believe she can come home,” she added.

Savannah, 54, acknowledged the possibility that her 84-year-old mom may no longer be alive.

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“But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home. For that reason, we are offering a family reward of up to $1 million for any information that leads us to her recovery,” she said.

“Someone out there knows something that can bring her home,” she added.

Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home in the Catalina Foothills outside of Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of February 1. Authorities believe she was taken against her will.

Her disappearance sparked a massive search involving state and federal law enforcement agencies. Authorities said Nancy Guthrie relies on daily medication, and there could be “fatal” consequences if she does not take it.

Police also flagged her health issues upon her disappearance, according to a 911 dispatch audio. “Nancy has high blood pressure, a pacemaker and cardiac issues,” the dispatcher said.

The FBI released doorbell camera images February 10 showing a suspect wearing a ski mask, gloves and backpack standing at Nancy Guthrie’s front door on the morning of her disappearance but no one has been arrested.

Reports this week, from ABC News and CNN, now suggest the suspected kidnapper may have been at her door on another day before the alleged abduction. It was unclear which day the suspect may have been at the home.

In a statement shared with The Independent Monday night, Pima County Sheriff’s Department said: “We are aware that doorbell images released earlier in the investigation depict a suspect in different stages of attire, including with and without a backpack.

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“There is no date or time stamp associated with these images. Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.”

Authorities are still working to analyze evidence from Nancy Guthrie’s home. The sheriff’s department said DNA from a pair of gloves found two miles from the home “did not trigger a match” in the FBI’s national database and “did not match DNA found at the property.”

The new video comes over a week after Savannah Guthrie’s last video begging for her mother’s kidnapper to bring her home. She and her family have also offered to pay for her mother’s safe return, following reports of ransom notes that are yet to be verified by police.

In the previous post, shared February 15, the TV anchor spoke directly to her mother’s suspected kidnapper: “I wanted to say to whoever has her, or knows where she is, that it’s never too late. It is never too late to do the right thing.”

Volunteers have been searching for Nancy Guthrie in the Arizona desert surrounding her home, despite authorities urging them to leave the work to the professionals.

“Per the Sheriff, they were asked to please give investigators the space they need to do their work,” the sheriff’s department said Saturday. “We appreciate their concern, and we all want to find Nancy, but this work is best left to professionals.”

Lila, born in 2002, grew up around fashion but has increasingly stepped into the spotlight on her own terms. In recent seasons she has fronted major campaigns and walked for some of the same luxury labels that once made her mother a household name, positioning herself as part of fashion’s next wave.

Nowadays, with the rise in popularity of outdoor night-time experiences, so-called noctourism, there could be just as much justification in directing them to ultra-dark, quiet countryside locations where the only light comes from the moon or the canopy of stars.

Whether it’s experiencing how every sense sharpens up more when walking in a natural landscape at night; the awe and intrigue that come with looking at a majestic star-filled sky; or simply enjoying sitting round a firepit with friends, there’s no doubting a new nightlife is emerging.

At the forefront of this are the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, both of which recently celebrated their fifth anniversary of becoming International Dark Sky Reserves, and the Howardian Hills and Nidderdale National Landscapes.

The ever-popular Dark Skies Festival which, this year, runs from February 13 to March 1, has often acted as a curtain-raiser, showcasing the hard work that goes into protecting and enhancing the night sky; and ways that people can embrace the dark.

This year is no exception as the North York Moors National Park will be unveiling its new observatory, the Dark Skies Station, at Danby Lodge National Park Centre.

How the new observatory at Danby Lodge National Park will look (Image: Supplied)

As well as housing a powerful telescope, the retractable-roofed station, which will be fully accessible and boasts solid sustainability credentials, will also house a ‘Discover the Universe’ mini exhibition. This will be multi-sensory, with audio visual elements and objects to touch, such as pieces of meteor rock. Other panels will describe why better artificial lighting is needed to protect wildlife and the night as a whole, not just the sky itself.

Outside, people will be able to wrap up warm and sit on one of the benches where, at the touch of a button, a sound post will explain what’s happening in the night sky, play a dark skies-themed poem, or relay historical or scientific facts about the night. A Star Wheel panel will also provide people with information on what they’re seeing as they look up at the skies above.

The new facility adds to the Nature & Star Hub at Sutton Bank, which opened a couple of years ago, and other existing observatories in Whitby and Dalby Forest, as well as the Lime Tree Observatory at Grewelthorpe in Nidderdale.

These facilities, together with a growing number of Dark Skies Friendly Communities and accommodation providers, plus groups organising night walks, offer more than just a chance to stargaze. They provide spaces where people can experience what’s special about the night for their own wellbeing.

With more studies showing how artificial light disrupts the natural rhythms of the human body, whether it’s interrupting sleep or impacting metabolic functions, there’s a growing recognition that exposure to darkness and experiencing the natural world’s transition from light to dark is good for us.

Darkness has to overcome its own image problem though, particularly the safety aspect that drives people indoors as soon as twilight falls. York St John University academics, Claire Hind and Jenny Hall, who are both holding events at the festival, are aiming to show how women can overcome the feeling of being excluded from walking at night because of safety fears.

They’re researching how venturing out after dark can actually be used as a creative, embodied practice and by producing new creative walking music, they’re hoping to open up new possibilities for women to walk together leisurely and freely in spaces such as National Parks.

Similarly, this year’s festival will also put a spotlight on the ancient art of Dusking, a mindfulness technique originating in the Netherlands, where families would gather and sit outside at twilight to do nothing except observe how daytime transitioned to night, as a way of slowing down after a busy day and reconnecting with the natural world.

As Vicky Burton, marketing officer for the North York Moors National Park, puts it: ‘The Dark Skies Festival embodies all aspects of our nightlife, from the beauty of the stars through to the wildlife that depends on darkness. It helps people get a new perspective on the landscape, even if they know the area well.

‘Importantly though, it is also about boosting people’s confidence in finding safe spaces where they can benefit from spending time outdoors after dark, whether it’s joining an organised event, walking in a Dark Skies Community, such as Ampleforth Abbey, or simply finding a perfect bench in the National Park for a twilight gathering.’

Highlights of the Dark Skies Festival programme

Sutton Bank – White Horse Dark Skies Circuit Walk.
Described by James Herriot as ‘the finest view in England’, this is the perfect place to begin your dark skies adventure. February 13, 4.30pm-6.30pm.

Whitby Night Photography Workshop
Join local landscape photographer Richard Burdon and learn how to shoot stunning images of the lights reflected in the calm waters of Whitby harbour. February 13 and 14, 7pm-10pm

Goathland – Night Walking in Heartbeat Country.
Experience starry skies and the sounds of nocturnal life after dark with an expert walk leader who will guide the way. February 21, 4.30pm-6.30pm

Cities Under Stars – Tackling Light Pollution
An evening of discussion, performance and reflection with leading international dark-sky experts, artists and academics, exploring how cities can become more dark-sky-friendly. February 25, 6.30pm until 8pm

Festival Stars at Sutton Bank
Held at The Hub at Sutton Bank National Park Centre, explore the universe under dark National Park skies. The moon will loom large overhead, casting a magical light over the winter landscape. There will be telescopes to spy craters, mountains and lava flows. Staged in collaboration with Go Stargazing! February 28, 7.30pm until 10pm

For more Dark Skies Festival programme details, including booking information, go to darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk

Dark Skies friendly accommodation

The Green at Lastingham (Image: Supplied)

The Green, Lastingham
Stay in one of the newest Dark Skies Communities by booking The Green, an 18th cottage in the heart of Lastingham, where you can sit in a deckchair armed with a telescope, blankets, red stargazing torch and a guide to the night sky. lastinghamgreen.co.uk

The Station Inn, Ribblehead
Next to the Ribblehead Viaduct, one of the most popular astro photography spots in the Yorkshire Dales, The Station Inn provides a welcoming base with comfortable rooms and a roaring fire in the bar. thestationinnribblehead.com

Cliff House Holiday Cottages, Ebberston
The clearing in the Wishing Well Wood at Cliff House Holiday Cottages is perfect for sitting around the firepit with the family for a twilight gathering, before retreating back indoors. cliffhouseholidaycottages.co.uk

Ashes Farm, Selside, near Settle
See the night sky above the Yorkshire Dales in all its glory while staying in one of the lodges or cottages at Ashes Farm. Either book one of the specific Dark Skies weekends or pre-order one of the farm’s stargazing hampers for a spot of DIY night gazing. ashesfarmholidayaccommodation.co.uk

Prospect House Farm, Suffield, near Scalby
Couples can stay in one of two luxury en-suite glamping cabins positioned on wooden platforms to the make the most of views across the rolling countryside. Each have a wraparound balcony and a hot tub. prospecthousefarm.co.uk

“The fate of Ukraine is our fate,” Germany’s chancellor declared on the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.

While some EU countries are still one step removed from the conflict raging in Europe, there’s no doubt Germany is committed.

Berlin is Ukraine’s biggest military supporter. Since the Russian invasion in 2022, it has provided Ukraine with 39 billion euros (£34bn) of civilian aid and 55 billion euros (£48bn) of military support.

According to a poll by INSA for Bild media, 52% of Germans support increasing aid for Ukraine.

While the war has fundamentally altered Ukrainians’ lives, it has also forced Germany to change.

Four years of war: Zelenskyy belittles Putin in message

The month before Putin’s tanks rolled in, the Germans announced they would supply just 5,000 helmets to Kyiv.

The offer was heavily criticised and mocked at a time when other allies were sending anti-tank weapons and ammunition.

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From 2022: ‘German help is a joke’ – Kyiv mayor

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Fast forward to the present day, and Berlin has not only supplied items including air defence artillery, combat vehicles, and arms, but it’s also trained more than 24,000 Ukrainian soldiers in Germany.

Make no mistake, this transition hasn’t been easy. Germans have had to stump up the cash and battle with their own consciences.

When the then-defence minister announced the helmet offer, she cited a long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to a conflict zone.

Many Germans agreed, fearing they would spark an escalation that would drag them into the fight.

“I think there is a real danger that everyone will be in a big war and maybe a third world war,” Katharina told me at a peace rally in Berlin a few years ago.

“It’s very dangerous, and we have to say no.”

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From 2022: Germany to help arm Ukraine

A radical shift in policy

Until I lived here, I didn’t fully comprehend how heavily Germany’s history weighs on its present.

The horrors of the Second World War, the shame of atrocities committed by the Nazis, the division of Germany and its remilitarisation during the Cold War, have all left scars.

Many Germans are inherently anti-war, and for those living in the former Soviet east in particular, the idea of German weapons being used against Russians was deeply alarming.

But the war in Ukraine forced the government’s hand, and the reality that Russian troops were encircling Ukrainian cities meant they could no longer watch from the sidelines.

Soon after ‘helmet-gate’, then-chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a radical shift in policy, a so-called “historic turning point” in which the country would use a €100 billion special fund to significantly increase military spending, reversing Germany’s previously cautious defence policy.

Efforts began to boost the military, neglected for years and described as “ageing and shrinking”.

Simultaneously, a top-secret plan to ensure the country could protect itself in case attack was updated, while war games were held to test civilian and military responses.

Read more:
Sky correspondent’s car hit by ‘sleeper’ drone in Russia
The civilians who fought when Russians invaded Hero City

Change not simple, but Germany ploughing on

Change has continued under the current Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who came to power condemning both Moscow and overreliance on the US, and has since pledged to create “the strongest conventional army in Europe”.

None of it is simple; while a survey in January by Leipzig University found the majority supported boosting the military and defence spending, few were willing to put their own lives on the line.

Only 16% of Germans said they would “definitely” take up arms to defend Germany, while 59% they would “probably not” or “definitely not” fight, according to a poll carried out last summer by the Forza institute.

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From 2025: Are Gen Z willing to die for their country?

Meanwhile, the reintroduction of voluntary military service led to student protests by Gen Z, with one demonstrator, Levi, telling me “none of us want to die for a country that doesn’t really care about us.”

Regardless, Germany is ploughing on. The chancellor said today that “this war will only end when Putin realises he cannot win”.

Until then, he’s pledged to stay by Ukraine’s side.

Four years since Putin launched his attack, the world has changed, and Germany feels like a different place.

Readers remain divided over the controversial Cambridge bus gate nearly a year after fines began, with strong views on traffic, businesses, and air quality

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Cambridgeshire Live readers remain divided over Mill Road’s bus gate, with passionate opinions about traffic, trade, and air quality. The bus gate continues to split opinion nearly 12 months after it became operational.

Cambridgeshire County Council implemented a permanent bus gate on Mill Road in 2025, with penalties initially handed out from March. The bus gate restricts all non-exempt vehicles from passing through, requiring them to take alternative routes.

Anyone who contravenes the bus gate receives a Penalty Charge Notice of £70, reduced to £35 if settled within 21 days. Exemptions allowing passage without incurring a fine include buses, taxis, cyclists, and emergency vehicles.

More than 4,600 penalties were issued during the first seven weeks after the bus gate’s activation, according to a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Local Democracy Service. Some residents argue that the restrictions have improved daily life.

One reader, Timbiscuit remarks: “‘Businesses’ [sic] will always want the bridge open due to the perceived more trade mindset. However, the shops are as busy as ever. I’ve lived on Mill Road for over twenty years. Traffic is less, air is cleaner, roads are safer, and more walking and cycling are taking place.”

Rhodabike adds: “‘The bus gate prevents all non-exempt vehicles passing through, meaning that they must use alternative routes.’ Exactly. Alternative routes are other neighbourhoods, which are now suffering increased congestion, thanks to the selfish demands of a vocal minority who can’t think beyond Mill Road.

“Visibly longer queues. And bus drivers are saying they’re struggling to run on time on other roads due to extra traffic. Plus, there’s the basic fact that cars, being physical objects, don’t disappear into thin air; every car no longer using Mill Road still exists somewhere else.”

Weneedqueenmeghan says: “The few businesses only want it open because it’s convenient for them to drive in and illegally dump their vehicles on the pavement. There are more people than ever shopping on Mill Road; it’s been proven over and over that pedestrianisation of areas increases footfall in shops.

“Remember, they tried to tell us traffic would go elsewhere, laugh! It hasn’t. They tried to tell us shops would lose business, it hasn’t! They tried to tell us drivers were stopping to shop, no, they weren’t, they were only using it as a rat run. Cyclists have been proven right once again.”

In contrast, Lilbec writes: “I don’t know anyone who actually agrees with closing the bridge. And bits [sic] clearly affecting businesses, whether you like it or not. If you don’t like living in an area with traffic, why did you choose to live there in the first place? If there is less traffic now, it’s only because people are abandoning Cambridge as a decent place to visit.”

Arborealfriend says: “I’ve lived off Mill Road for over a quarter century. The bridge restrictions are a huge improvement. I’ve spoken to traders who find the restriction inconvenient for a cash’n’carry run, whilst others – especially café/restaurant owners – appreciate the cleaner air and the way that there is now more passing trade. On foot. Stopping. Shopping. Eating. Drinking. Not driving past polluting. To check the FACTS about traffic, SmartCambridge (DotOrg) have sensors and full data available. No, there ain’t loadsa extra motor traffic on surrounding roads.”

Do you think the scheme is really making Mill Road safer, or is it just shifting the congestion elsewhere? Have your say in our comments section.

A new species of dinosaur known as the ‘hell-heron’ has some fantasy fans believing that Game of Thrones-style dragons could have once terrorised our planet.

A mysterious ‘dragon-like’ skull uncovered by scientists in the Sahara has people wondering if it was a fire-breathing beast or, thanks to its horn, some kind of Jurassic unicorn.

While ‘officially’ flying reptiles grabbing villagers and torching castles have never existed, it is thought that these legends evolved from people spotting large reptiles in the wild.

The bones were discovered by University of Chicago palaeontologist Paul Sereno and his team.

‘I definitely think the ancients encountered at least a couple of things like this because this is definitely a dragon,’ one person claimed on social media.

Landing in North Africa, Serano ended up meeting a local Tuareg man who led them on his motorbike deep into the centre of the Sahara, where he had seen huge fossil bones.

With night closing in and time running out before having to return, the team found a set of teeth and jaw bones from this new species of Spinosaurus.

Publishing their work in the journal Science, scientists estimated there were ten to 17 different species of this prehistoric predator.

The team say the finding of Spinosaurus mirabilis, is the first new spinosaurid species discovered in more than a century. 

‘This find was so sudden and amazing, it was really emotional for our team,’ said Sereno in a statement.

Reconstructions of the skull have revealed more than a passing similarity with the mythical fire-breathing creatures.

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‘I’ll forever cherish the moment in camp when we crowded around a laptop to look at the new species for the first time’, he added.

Spinosaurid teeth found not far from the shoreline had led some experts to hypothesise that these fish-eaters may have been fully aquatic, but the most recent discovery miles inland makes scientists believe it was more of a wader.

‘I envision this dinosaur as a kind of ‘hell heron’ that had no problem wading on its sturdy legs into two meters of water but probably spent most of its time stalking shallower traps for the many large fish of the day,’ Sereno said.

At the end of the Cenomanian period, about 95 million years ago, an abruptrise in sea level and climate change brought the spinosaurid era to an untimely end.

But despite its tragic demise, the replicas will join the Dinosaur Expedition exhibit at the Chicago Children’s Museum next month.

‘Letting kids feel the excitement of new discoveries—that’s key to ensuring the next generation of scientists who will discover many more things about our precious planet worth preserving,’ Sereno said.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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