Trowbridge schoolboy Oliver Reynolds was amazed when he discovered a fossil he found during a family walk from Steeple Ashton to Rood Ashton was a genuine piece of natural history, tens of millions of years old.

The eight-year-old, who was out with his father Jason, grandmother Ruth and brother Sam, five, noticed the large fossil, as well as some bones and pottery, while walking along a footpath.

He said: “We were walking along and I saw what I thought was a fossil. I asked my dad, but he said it couldn’t be. We went and had a closer look and I was sure that it was a fossil.

“Then we found some teeth and a bit of pottery, which we thought may be from Roman times. It was very exciting when the museum said the fossil could be millions of years old.”

The Reynolds took the items home and cleaned them, before Mr Reynolds took pictures and sent them to the Natural History Museum, which replied last week to say they believe the fossil was a coral fossil, which could be tens of millions of years old.

It added that the tooth belonged to a cow, which could be from historic or prehistoric times, but carbon-dating would need to be carried out to be sure. The museum advised the boys to contact the British Museum about the pottery fragment.

Oliver, who attends Keevil Church of England Primary School with his brother, has been taking the fossil into school to show his classmates since receiving confirmation from the museum.

He said: “I wanted to show my class the items, which is why we got in touch with the museum. Once we got the email, I took the items in.”

Mr Reynolds said: “When Oliver said he had seen a fossil, I didn’t think it could have been one. On closer inspection it did look like a fossil and next to it were some bones and a bit of pottery.

“It was lovely for Oli to find them and the boys were both so excited. I am very proud of both of them for having that thirst for knowledge.”