A NEW species of dinosaur which was found on a beach near Penarth has been named.

The Dracoraptor Hanigani has been christened after the announcement was made in June 2015 that brothers Rob and Nick Hanigan had discovered the new species on Lavernock Beach in 2014.

The first part of the name "Dracoraptor" means dragon robber and the second part has been chosen in tribute to its founders after their generous donation of the find to the National Museum of Wales (Amgueddfa Cymru).

The Hanigan brothers were walking along the beach during a storm in 2014 when a rock fall unveiled the fossils including claws, teeth and skull in the broken rocks.

They contacted Cindy Howells, palaeontology curator for Amgueddfa Cymru who, with the help of dinosaur experts from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Manchester, analysed the teeth and bones.

The team established that the dinosaur was a meat-eating dinosaur, from the theropod group. It is thought it is an early and distant cousin of tyrannosaurus rex.

Dracoraptor Hanigani lived 201 million years ago and is the first theropod skeleton found in Wales.

The fossil is now on display in the main hall of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff.