Cavers unearth largest UK system found in a decade

An "exploratory urge" led to the discovery of one of the largest cave systems found in Britain in a decade, with cavers saying it was "a dream come true".

The network of passages and giant caverns stretching for 10km (6 miles) was found near English Bicknor in the Forest of Dean.

The first part of the cave system, Redhouse Lane Swallet, was originally found in the 1990s by Paul Taylor, a caver from Gloucester.

Conservation officer and retired physicist Dr Tim Nichols, who was part of a new generation of explorers which discovered the wider network of caverns, said he did not realise the significance of what they had recently found until they saw it.

"The first time when we stepped into the new passage when there was just two of us - all of our dreams had come true," Dr Nichols said.

The first part of the cave system was originally found in the 1990s

"That exploratory urge to go and find where no person has ever been before is really special.

"With each trip it just kept getting better and better."

He explained a strong draught in the boulder filled passage at the end of the original network of caves had inspired him to delve deeper.

Through sheer determination his team of explorers successfully dug past the boulders in August last year.

A team of cavers dug into the new network and explored it in August last year

"You have to pinch yourself, it is a once in a lifetime [find].

"Every trip's just been like another birthday present and every trip we've been finding something different."

"Caves remain one of those things on the planet that are largely undiscovered.

"True genuine exploration - that's what's exciting about it," Dr Nichols added.

Dr Nichols went on to explain how "it's the biggest find" in the UK in a long time.

The last discovery was made in 2010 in what is now the UK's longest cave system called The Three Counties, which was initially thought to be three separate systems.

The network of 10 km of passages with giant caverns is in English Bicknor

But in 2010, cavers discovered they were in fact interconnected making it 87km (54 miles) long.

In the 1990s, Mr Taylor began exploration work on the Redhouse Lane Swallet in the Forest of Dean and after two years of digging discovered the initial cave system which was around a mile long.

Mr Taylor said he is "extremely honoured and proud" to be a part of this history-making discovery.

"I started caving when I was just 13 years old and I'm 71 years old now," he said.

"To be the very first person to shine your light down that passage and put your footprints down - it's an amazing experience," Mr Taylor added.