A LARGE 4,000-year-old red deer skull and antlers found on the beach at Borth are being examined by researchers at University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Lampeter.

They believe the find almost certainly dates back to the days the area was covered by a large forest, the fossilised remains of which can still occasionally be seen at low tide.

The skull was first spotted by Julien Culham and Sharon Davies-Culham in early April.

Rather than attempting to remove it from the beach, they reported it to the Royal Commission in Aberystwyth, which in turn alerted UWTSD’s Dr Martin Bates and a team of research staff from the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology in Lampeter.

“This is a wonderful discovery that really brings the forest and its environs to light,” said Dr Bates, pictured.