Lucky pupils were delighted after their school received a visit from Swindon's fossil hunter pair and their remarkable mammoth find. 

Children at Down Ampney Church of England Primary School followed in the footsteps of David Attenborough by learning all about the remains of five mammoths direct from the husband and wife team who uncovered them.

In 2017 Swindon-based Neville and Sally Hollingworth made one of the most significant British archaeological discoveries in decades when they found the remains of the 220,000 year-old animal family.

As well as hearing from Sally and Dr Neville Hollingworth about the incredible discovery – which was the basis for the BBC documentary “Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard” – the pupils also had the chance to view some of the finds for themselves.

The ancient treasures were unearthed in the silt and gravel of a quarry in the Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire operated by Swindon firm Hills Group – just a few miles from the school.

Rebecca Gray, Down Ampney's Headteacher, said: “We are so grateful to Sally and Neville for coming to share their amazing story and discoveries with us. The pupils have been learning all about fossils over the last term and were hugely excited to get the chance to actually see some real-life mammoth bones for themselves.”