Representative image (Photo: Pexel)

An ordinary walk on the beach became an exciting discovery for a 10-year-old girl in the UK when she came across huge Dinosaur footprints. While exploring the coast of Penarth with her mother, Tegan discovered five large footprints that experts believe are over 200 million years old, according to a BBC report.

The footprints, which are up to 75 centimeters apart, are believed to be from a large herbivorous dinosaur from the late Triassic. Palaeontologists are currently working to confirm the authenticity of the prints. Cindy Howells, the palaeontology curator at the National Museum Wales, is convinced of their significance. “We have five footprints and there is a gap of half a metre to three quarters of a metre between each one. These footprints are so large that they must be a species of dinosaur called Sauropodomorpha,” Howells said on the BBC’s “The Dinohunters” programme.

The discovery was made on the coast of South Wales, more specifically at Lavernock Point, a site between Cardiff and Barry on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Tegan’s mother Claire, who once lived in the area, was equally surprised by the find.

“It was so cool and exciting,” Tegan said. “We were just outside looking at what we could find, but we didn’t think we would find anything. We found these big holes that looked like dinosaur footprints, so mom took some photos, emailed them to the museum and it was from a long-necked dinosaur.”

Claire contacted Cindy Howells by email just days after the discovery. The footprints were embedded in red siltstone, a feature of the Lavernock Point site.

The incredible discovery has thrilled both Tegan and her mother, who now know they may have been following in the footsteps of dinosaurs. Paleontologists are now studying the site to learn more about the prehistoric creatures that once roamed the area.