Dinosaur footprints at a south Wales site believed to be 200 million years old have been filled with plaster.
The damage to the footprints at Bendrick Rock, between Barry and Sully, which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the markings, was discovered by South Wales archaeologist Karl-James Langford.
The founder of Archaeology Cymru said: “I took a group of 10 students to give them the tour of the dinosaur footprints. I could not hide my horror at the damage which had been deliberately caused.
“We examined one print that had been filled with Plaster of Paris. On a visit to inspect the damage with another group later that same day, somebody had deliberately tried to smash it out with a breeze block, damaging the 200 million year-old print in the process.
“Fires are also being started at the site, and rubbish left around. The public must be stopped going to the site before it is too late.”
Mr Langford has referred the matter to the National Museum of Wales and the Geologists’ Association South Wales Group, and The British Institute For Geological Conservation is also investigating.
Nobody was available for comment at the National Museum of Wales or the Geologists’ Association South Wales Group.
On its website the group says: “These are the footprints of some of the earliest dinosaurs in the world.
Please help to preserve the site for everyone to see by not damaging or removing the footprints. Please report anyone you see removing the rock to the Countryside Council for Wales, the Geology Department of the National Museum of Wales, or the Geologists’ Association South Wales Group.”