THOUSANDS of people took part in some dino-mite fun at Bolton Central Library and Museum.

A week of dinosaur-themed activities was held in Le Mans Crescent to mark Dippy the Diplodocus arriving in Rochdale as part of his UK tour.

Visitors were able to take part in a variety of activities over the half-term break, designing a dinosaur egg, making a Dippy out of handprints, and even building a dinosaur skeleton.

Deputy Leader of Bolton Council Cllr Martyn Cox said: “We have welcomed thousands of visitors to Bolton Museum, Central Library and the Aquarium over half-term.

“We have had everything from palaeontologists to dinosaur poetry and stories. Children have been creating wonderful crafts from dinosaur crowns to dinosaur chompers and getting hands-on with dinosaur fossils.

“A particular highlight was children building a cardboard city – they then joined in with our friendly staff raptor and T. Rex to ‘stomp it down’ and then recycle it.

“At Bolton Museum we have our own dinosaur, Jango the Tuojiangosaurus from a time when Dippy stomped the earth 140 million years ago.

“Most children have a huge passion for dinosaurs and there has been a really positive reaction from everyone.”

Dippy, the star of the Natural History Museum, has visited places across the country, and will be on display at Number One Rochdale until the end of June.

Visiting him and the other dinosaur exhibit in Touchstones Rochdale is free, and there’s no need to book unless you’re a group of more than ten.

This is Dippy’s penultimate stop before he returns to his London home.

In July, he will head to Norwich Cathedral, with Rochdale his only stop in the North West.

There is no parking at either of the exhibits, and both attractions will be at their busiest between 10pm and 3pm.

For more information on visiting Dippy, and how to get to him, go to visitrochdale.com/dippy-on-tour.