Rarely, amateur fossil-hunters strike it lucky. Most of these instances involve dinosaurs. In 1983 William Walker was searching a clay pit, as he often Below: Or Marie Stopes, palaeontologist and Right. William Walker's story is cheering to
all amateur fossil collectors. His famous Baryonyx claw, discovered in 1983, provided important information about the spinosaurids, which were huge predatory dinosaurs. Walker unearthed his 'lucky find' in a clay pit when he was not actively looking for fossils. A reconstruction of Baryonyx appears below did. A plumber and part-time quarry worker, at a pit in Surrey he noticed a claw-like fossil - a gigantic one that measured more than 30cm/12in. Local experts informed London's
Natural History Museum, and staff
soon determined that plenty more
remains were at the site. The result
was Baryonyx walkeri, 'Walker's