Redcar man's Ichthyosaur fossil fails to sell at auction

The fossil had attracted interest but failed to meet its reserve price

A 200 million-year-old fossil kept under a fisherman's bed for 16 years has failed to sell at auction.

Shell fisherman James Moore, from Redcar, found the fragment sticking out of shale in Saltburn in 2007.

It was identified to be part of an Ichthyosaur, thought to have been about 20ft (6m) long.

Mr Moore said he had wanted to sell the fragment as he had since retired and was downsizing to a smaller home, and had hoped it would be put on display.

"I had a case made to protect the fossil - but displaying it properly does require space, he said prior to the auction," he added.

"Most of the last 16 years it's been under my bed."

The fossil had been expected to fetch up to £2,000 when it went under the hammer on Friday, along with dozens of other items at David Duggleby Auctioneers & Valuers in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The Ichthyosaur fragment was found in Saltburn and then stored under a bed for 16 years

Palaeontologists examined the Saltburn site after the find where they discovered more than 20 segments of vertebrae belonging to an Ichthyosaur.

The sea predator, which lived between 250 million and 90 million years ago, was a type of warm-blooded, air-breathing sea predator - not unlike dolphins - and could grow up to 82ft (25m) long.

Jess Tarver, from the auctioneer, said it was one of the "oldest things" it had had up for sale and it had been attracting "considerable interest".

It may be put up for auction again at a later date.