CHILDREN of all ages, shapes and sizes have been measuring themselves against the ‘Beast of Westbury’ to see if they could be swallowed whole in one bite.

The test was highly popular and was just one of the activities linked to a display of the six feet long replica of the lower jaw of a prehistoric pliosaur at Westbury Museum.

Caitlynne Lane, aged eight, which just one of the 526 people who visited the display from August 1-13 to take a look at the jaw bone of the giant sea monster.

The replica was on loan from Bristol Museum and put on show at Westbury Museum, which is run by Westbury Heritage Society and staffed by volunteers, to coincide with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Sally Hendry, the Society's chairman, said: “We are so pleased to have welcomed back Westbury's oldest resident.

"The last time this was on display in Wiltshire was for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee so it’s very appropriate it is returning in this Royal year.

“We are really pleased with the exhibition. It was only on for two weeks but we had 526 people come to see it, which is very impressive.

“It was particularly nice for the children, who absolutely loved it. Many of them used a measure to see if they would be swallowed whole in one bite.”

Westbury’s oldest resident was found in the town's former Blue Circle clay pit in 1994 by an amateur archaeologist Simon Carpenter.

The specimen is named after him - hence its official name is Pliosaurus Carpenteri.

In its day, 150 million years ago, the pliosaur swam in warm Jurassic seas and was at the top of the food chain. It has been described as one of the scariest sea creatures that ever lived.

The pliosaur would have had a large head with huge jaws and teeth the size of bananas. It moved swiftly in pursuit of prey thanks to its streamlined tear shaped body and its four massive paddles.

It was capable of swallowing its prey whole, with a terrifying bite force of 48,728 newtons compared to the 749 newton bite force of many humans.

The exhibition also featured artwork, multimedia, sound and special information packs for younger visitors to the Westbury Museum which is on the first floor of the town library.