Sam EmanuelHundreds of children were captivated by fascinating fossils and rocks at the weekend as part of a special science and nature event.Sam Emanuel

Hundreds of children were captivated by fascinating fossils and rocks at the weekend as part of a special science and nature event.

Norwich Castle held the Norfolk Rocks! exhibition for National Science and Engineering Week, hosting two days of family activities celebrating Norfolk's geology and bio-diversity in which visitors could bring along fossils they had found for identification.

The activities were led by Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), the Geological Society of Norfolk, students from the University of East Anglia and staff from Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service.

Nick Acheson, NWT education officer, said: 'This weekend is about getting families involved with Norfolk's wildlife and landscapes and showing them where we come from.

'It's very important for young people to learn because for tens of thousands of years we have been hunter-gatherers and relied on the land - it was our supermarket - and all of a sudden we have become separated from that.

'I've been very impressed with the children's knowledge about fossils - some of them have really blown me away by identifying specific species.'

Kathy Moore, a learning officer at the museum, added: 'Norfolk is a super place to learn about the environment because it's really great for birds and there is still a lot of farm land with a huge range of species.

'We have got a good lot of people in here - it seems that the young people are very keen on wildlife and history, which is great.'

Eight-year-old Rubie Doggett, from Swardeston, was one of the youngsters there and had gone to the event with her parents Paul and Dionne Doggett and sisters Alice, six, and Hannah, two.

Rubie said: 'We have been looking at fossils through the microscope and seen a shark's tooth and ribs from a fish. It's been brilliant and I like the fossils because they are little animals that have turned into something else.'

To find out more, visit www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/nsew/whatson/index.htm

Have you made an unusual discovery? Call Sam Emanuel on 01603 772438 or email sam.emanuel@archant.co.uk.