A new ‘missing link’ between our ape-like ancestors and early humans has been identified, showing that we were still swinging from the trees less than two million years ago.

The first fossils of Australopithecus sediba were discovered in Malapa, South Africa, ten years ago, but experts were unsure if they were unique or just examples of already known species.

Now after a decade of a research experts have confirmed they do belong to a unique species which slots into the human family tree between little upright apes like ‘Lucy’ - the 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis skeleton found in 1974 - and Homo habilis, the first tool-maker, which live around 2.1 to 1.5 million years ago.

Intriguingly, Australopithecus sediba, which lived between 1.95 and 1.78 million years ago, still had arms bones like monkeys suggesting it spent large amounts of time swinging in the trees long after it was thought we had moved onto the ground.

It also had the short foot bones of a creature that did not walk long distances and a small brain, like Lucy.

Yet its hands had developed long opposable thumbs, showing it had the dexterity to use tools, although without the grip strength of later humans.