Workmen are dino-sore after an amazing discovery stalled work on a new library in Maidstone.

The bones of a giant lizard dating back to the Cretaceous period, about 120 million years ago, have been discovered on the site of Springfield Library.

Now scientists are speculating that the monster could have been the girlfriend of Iggy, the famous Maidstone Iguanodon.

The incredible find was made shortly after councillors symbolically dug the first sod on work to revamp the library.

Maidstone is already a famous site for paleontologists - the first full Iguanodon skeleton was discovered in a quarry here in 1834 by Gideon Mantell. This new find will bring unprecedented attention to the County Town.

Historian Dr Diana Soare said: “The foundations for the new library were just being built when the workmen noticed something that looked like giant bones.

“They are right on the spot where the classic English literature will go in the library.

“Initially this made us think it was a Bronte-saurus. But now we’re working on the theory that it was an Iguanodon. There is a good chance that this was a mate for Iggy.

“From what we know of their habits, it is likely they would have regularly gone together to an oasis in north Kent, which we refer to as the blue water.

“Perhaps Iggy grew tired of the ritual and wandered off. Perhaps one fateful day, our new dinosaur attempted to return home while overburdened. We will never know the truth. They’re both dead now.”

In 1949 Maidstone became the only town in the world to sport a dinosaur on its official crest, in recognition of its place in dino-history.

But this new discovery has fuelled a hunger for a more dramatic symbol of Maidstone’s importance.

Maidstone council is believed to have set up a focus group to discuss rebuilding the monster’s skeleton in the town. Possible sites include outside the Kent Messenger’s office or on top of Fremlin Walk, where it would stand as a kind of giant gargoyle leering down on shoppers.

One council source said: “Maidstone has got a proud heritage of bold public art. People still talk about Shorn the Sheep, the totem pole, the Maidstone Marker and that egg thing near the river.

“We’re very excited by the prospect of building a dinosaur in the town.”

He added: “We’ve got a working party looking at it. They have already decided it would be impossible to find any chrysanthemums big enough to put in its ribcage, but it’s still possible we could make its thumbs flash different colours – like that nice thing we did with the bridge.”