FOUR magnificent terracotta dinosaur heads have emerged from the mud at Eastnor Pottery in Herefordshire. The artworks were co-created by families who visited Eastnor Castle in the summer holidays, crafted from terracotta clay, a material as old as the dinosaurs themselves.

Every year Eastnor Castle invites Eastnor Pottery to run a week long residency in the courtyard where castle visitors work together on large composite forms. This year the potting participants worked on a T-Rex, triceratops and two velociraptors.

"Everybody lent a hand to 'coil' the dinosaur body by layering long snakes of clay on top of each other. The surface is then smoothed off and individual dinosaur scales added to the form" commented Jon the Potter "we encourage the children and grown-ups to make highly decorated scales encrusted with whatever takes their fancy. For example, If you take a close look at T-Rex you will spot a rose, ladybird and a potato waffle amongst hundreds of other designs".

Jon reckoned they must have worked with over 1000 people, young and old during the week, all contributing a mini work of art covering the pre-historic beasts.

The four dino-heads are currently on display at Eastnor Pottery and participants who took part in the workshops at the castle are invited to drop by to see if they can spot their contribution. The pottery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.