A FEROCIOUS deep-sea predator from 150 million years ago is on display in Trowbridge Museum as part of a new exhibition.

Ferocious Fossils, which opened at the museum on Saturday, gives visitors the opportunity to imagine what west Wiltshire was like millions of years ago when the region was covered in tropical seas.

One of the key attractions at the exhibition, which runs until June 11, is a gigantic pliosaur.

Curator Clare Lyall said: "It is like the tyrannosaurus of the deep. It was a ferocious predator. It was 25ft long, the length of a killer whale and its head was about 6ft long."

The fossilised remains, which include part of the skull, teeth, ribs and vertebrae, were first discovered in Westbury in the 1980s.

There are also plenty of activities for children at the exhibition.

They can try to match the fossil image with the animal and there is a "feely box" for them to guess which animal a fossil used to be.

On the opening day 300 people turned up and were full of wonder at the display.

Miss Lyall said: "They really enjoyed it. It helps people imagine what it was like when the area was covered in a tropical sea."

Half-term activities for children will include building prehistoric mobiles and schools have also been invited to visit the exhibition.