A giant fossilised tree more than 50 million years old has been found on the beach at Sheppey.

Fossil-hunter Fred Clouter discovered the four-metre long trunk at Warden Point.

The retired teacher from Sheerness said: “It has been washed out of the foreshore clay next to one of the old Second World War concrete bunkers.”

He added: “There are even longer ones further out on the foreshore, especially in front of the Coastguard lookout section.

"Fossil wood is probably the commonest fossil to be found.”

Mr Coulter published his latest discovery on the Sheppey Fossil Forum Facebook page.

He also has a website called www.sheppeyfossils.com

Many of Sheppey’s youngsters take delight in unearthing parts of prehistoric trees, fossilised nipa fruit, worm tubes, crocodile and turtle bones and shark’s teeth among the pebbles at the bottom of the London Clay cliffs.

Some finds are on show at Minster Abbey’s Gatehouse Museum and London’s Natural History Museum.

Phil Crowder, a member of the Sheerness Town Team, suggested the tree could become a tourist attraction and Gary Walker said: “I would love to have a collection big enough to open some kind of extensive Sheppey fossil museum.”

However the forum reminded beach visitors to beware of wartime munitions after a bomb was found washed up on the shore at Eastchurch.

The advice is to mark the area and call 999 so it can be dealt with.