New ‘bum-head’ shrimp species found in Brymbo fossil forest

The fossil forest is unusual because it is protected from the elements by a roof so volunteers can excavate the site year-round and visitors can watch the work happening.

Among the students who have gained new skills at the site are Wrexham University forensic science students who are bringing 21st Century crime-solving skills to prehistoric remains.

Lecturer Amy Rattenbury said: “Forensic archaeology students need to know how to search, recover, map, excavate, document sites and a lot of the practices that they’re doing here mirror that, down to the equipment that’s being used and some of the cataloguing skills.”

She added that getting students out to a real site, rather than doing simulation-based exercises, was “really helpful”.