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Police officers investigating images of a woman having sex with a dinosaur have identified a suspect after the sculpture had to be thoroughly cleaned by council workers.

Graphic images emerged showing the woman naked from her waist down on a children's dinosaur sculpture in Exmouth last week.

She was seen mounting the baby Tyrannosaurus Rex model, who was placed in a fake egg.

The model is part of the popular local children's attraction - the Exmouth Dino Trail.

Sergeant Richard Stonecliffe, from Exmouth Police, said: "We are still continuing our investigations and we have now identified the woman in the photographs who we will be speaking to."

Officers are yet to charge anyone related to the images however.

(Image: SWNS)

Speaking to the Express and Echo, one worried mum said: "I worry as children play with these dinosaurs, I was disgusted.

"I feel sick to think that children are anywhere near that."

The model had to be deep cleaned by East Devon District Council.

A council spokesperson said: "We are shocked and dismayed at this appalling act of gross indecency to one of the dinosaur models in the dinosaur trail organised and installed by Exmouth Town Council in collaboration with Exmouth Town Team & Tourism Forum and ourselves.

"The trail has been a huge success with visitors and the local community alike, especially with children, which makes this behavior by an adult all the more deplorable.

"We understand that the town council, as owners of the dinosaurs, have already contacted the police and that the appropriate action will be taken.

(Image: SWNS)

"We have instructed our StreetScene team to clean the dinosaur thoroughly using a strong disinfectant. We would like to encourage people to continue to visit this wonderful attraction.

"However, we would also like to remind the public that the dinosaurs are for looking at only and should not be touched or climbed on."

John Thorogood, organiser of the Exmouth Dino Trail, said: "I saw the image on social media and was completely disgusted by it.

"It was clearly a deliberately posed photograph of a very immature adult engaged in a sex act.

"Whilst we have had some deliberate damage to the dinosaurs in past weeks, this episode brings things to an all time low as far as these important and very popular assets to our town are concerned.

"I hope the police are successful in tracing this woman and dealing robustly with it."