I WAS raised in a decade when dinosaurs were as hot as the lava-laden planet they once inhabited.

Everyone at my primary school carried Jurassic Park lunchboxes, we all subscribed to a weekly magazine for budding paleontologists and the catchphrase “not the momma” made popular by a TV series about a family of the pre-historic creatures was frequently banded around the playground.

Having carried this admiration for ancient species through to my adulthood, I was naturally an avid viewer of the BBC’s Walking with Dinosaurs series and so leapt at the chance to see them brought to life in an arena spectacular.

Being such a dino-fan, it was with a mix of excitement and intrepidation that I attended a Saturday evening show at Sheffield’s Motorpoint Arena.

I wanted to be made to believe that we really were seeing dinosaurs as they had once roamed the earth 200 million years ago, but I couldn’t help but fear I might be left underwhelmed by animatronics that were as convincing as the occupants of a fairground ghost ride.

We were seated in the centre of the arena three rows from the front, which gave us a perfect view across a rocky outcrop of a set, complete with a screen bordered by giant gnashers.

Huxley The Paleontologist was our engaging narrator who took us on our passage through time, introducing us to some of the stars and defining moments of the triassic, jurassic and cretaceous periods in terms that were clear, concise and attractive to viewers young and old.

There were gasps from the audience when the first dinosaurs hatched from a clutch of eggs in the centre of the stage.

It was clear from that moment as the two tiny plateosaurus took their first glimpses of the world around them that my concerns over the authenticity of the dinosaurs were unfounded.

I was utterly convinced I was watching raptors use teamwork to stalk their prey, seeing torosaurus lock their giant horns in a battle for territory and brachiosaurus gracefully feed from the tree tops.

In fact, I was so engrossed by what was unfolding on the arena floor that I jumped out of my seat when tyrannosaurus rex fixed her giant amber eyes on us and let out an almighty roar as if to assert her reputation as the most fearsome of all the dinosaurs.

This Walking with Dinosaurs Arena Spectacular lived up to its name - it was truly spectacular, awe-inspiring, and astounding.

It comes to Birmingham NIA on April 10-14 and tickets are available from dinosaurlive.com or by calling 08448 759000.