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Experts are rushing to examine thousands of prehistoric footprints discovered on a popular tourist beach near Southport - before they are swept away.

More than 50 human footprints, dating back 7,000 years, have so far been discovered on Formby Beach, as well as thousands of prints from red deer, wild boar, crane and now-extinct aurochs.

A team from Manchester University , who have described the remarkable discovery on the 90m stretch "like a who’s who of the Mesolithic period," say they need to gather the prints quickly before they are removed by the tide, wind and sand.

The National Trust says Formby Beach has one of the fastest changing coastlines out of the 775 miles it looks after - making the need to gather the remarkable discoveries more pressing.

A spokesman said: “A superb sediment bed full of prehistoric footprints on Formby beach is currently being studied by a team from Manchester University.

(Image: Southport Visiter) (Image: Southport Visiter)

“Led by archaeologist Alison Burns, who wrote our guides to Fort Crosby and the Prehistoric Footprints at Formby, the team have already logged 58 human footprints and over 2,000 Red Deer prints, frozen for thousands of years in the dried mud.

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“The bed, which is over 90m long, stretches like a who’s who of the Mesolithic period along the beach - incredible.

(Image: Southport Visiter) (Image: Southport Visiter)

“The trails of aurochs, crane and wild boar have also been found, with the team planning on measuring and logging everything on the site over the next week.

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“A window into prehistory - walking alongside it and seeing the imprints of human toes, or the vast “plinth” tracks of mighty aurochs is a remarkable experience

(Image: Southport Visiter) (Image: Southport Visiter)

“All too soon though the tide, wind and sand will claim them - but not before Alison and the team have recorded what’s there for posterity.”

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Aurochs are an extinct type of wild cattle that used to be found in Europe, Asia and north Africa, and were last seen in Europe in the 17th century.

(Image: Southport Visiter)

Formby Beach has a colourful history, which includes links to the asparagus growing trade and the early days of aviation.