An incredibly rare dragon’s skull has been unearthed by archaeologists in Suffolk, it has emerged.

The remarkable discovery is only the fifth of its kind anywhere in the world, and experts say it could be as much as four million years old.

Dragons are known to have lived in parts of what is now northern Europe and Scandinavia, but no new examples have turned up since a famous dig in Norway in 1972.

Now the dragon skull, found by archaeologists working on a site north of Ipswich, is being examined by palaeontologists at Cambridge University.

While dragons have always been popular in British culture, there has been an increased interest since they were featured prominently in the recent Game of Thrones television drama series.

Experts do not want fans or treasure hunters looking for more remains and have therefore kept the exact location of the dig a secret.

Old dragon spotted in Suffolk

“This is a remarkable find,” Lorraine Fisher, 34, a member of the recovery team, said. “We have found a few dragon teeth before, but nothing like this.

“A whole skull is truly amazing and matches the great find near the town of Targaryen in Norway back in the early 1970s.

“Judging by the size of the skull, we think the whole dragon would have been fifty feet long.

“We really hope to find more of the skeleton, which has been well preserved by the clay soil in Suffolk.

“It would be great to get hold of the wings, for example.”

It is not known if dragons lived in the Suffolk area, or if this specimen had flown over the area millions of years ago on a hunting expedition.

Dragons flew great distances and then used their fire-breathing skills to roast their prey alive, such as sheep or even cows, before devouring them.

The dig is ongoing at the secret location before cables are laid underground all the way to a new wind farm off the Suffolk coast.

Once the work is finished, it is hoped the dragon remains will go on display to the public, possibly at Ipswich Museum.

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