Matthew Myerscough went from avalanche survivor to discovering a 201-million-year-old sea dragon. This is his story

A man who survived being buried under snow for about 20 minutes in an avalanche has gone on to make one of Wales' most significant fossil discoveries, uncovering part of the jaw of a 201-million-year-old marine reptile known as a rhomaleosaurus.

According to a BBC report, Matthew Myerscough was caught in an avalanche while climbing Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, in 2014. Buried beneath around a metre of snow, the civil engineer was left unconscious for roughly 20 minutes before being rescued.

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The accident profoundly changed his relationship with the mountains. Myerscough later said he experienced symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, and returning to mountaineering no longer felt the same. Although he revisited Yr Wyddfa in 2018 for the Dragon's Back Challenge, his interests had already shifted from mountain climbing to fossil hunting along the Welsh coastline.

From mountain trauma to coastal treasures

Myerscough began spending time at the fossil-rich beaches of Lavernock Point in the Vale of Glamorgan, where searching for prehistoric remains offered a slower, more mindful pursuit. He said the careful observation required to identify unusual shapes and patterns in rocks helped him stay focused on the present, comparing the experience to the concentration found in sport, meditation or watching a film.

During one of these trips, Myerscough and two fellow fossil hunters spotted what initially appeared to be an unusual rock embedded in limestone. After experts examined the specimen, it was identified as part of the lower jaw of a rhomaleosaurus, a large marine predator from the early Jurassic period, often referred to as a sea dragon.

The fossil, estimated to be around 201 million years old, is the first known discovery of this type of marine reptile in Wales. Research on the specimen is continuing through the National Museum Cardiff, with the possibility of further academic study.

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A discovery beyond the fossil

For Myerscough, the significance of the find extends beyond its scientific value. He believes important discoveries can still be made by amateur enthusiasts outside traditional research institutions.

He says fossil hunting relies less on excavation and more on patience, observation and recognising subtle differences in rock formations. A typical outing, he suggests, requires little more than a hand lens, sturdy footwear and time.

Lavernock Point has become a popular destination for fossil hunters because of its rich deposits of prehistoric marine life. Fossils of plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, shark remains and coprolites, preserved traces of ancient animal waste, have all been found along the coastline, making the site accessible to families and amateur collectors interested in palaeontology.

Myerscough later documented his experience in In Search of Sea Dragons: A Fossil Hunter's Odyssey, explaining that he wanted to focus not only on the final discovery but also on the long, uncertain process behind it. He also sought to make fossil hunting feel more approachable by describing the journey from finding an ordinary-looking rock to understanding its scientific importance.