VERNON, a life-size dinosaur, will be one of the attractions at a family fun day at Bishops Wood Centre on Sunday.

Geology will be the focus event at the centre, in Crossway Green, near Stourport.

As well as examining the Utahraptor dinosaur skeleton, crafty children will be able to make plaster casts of fossils, try their hand at fossil painting, get to grips with several artefacts and make a Silurian seascape collage.

There will also be the chance to "ask the experts", so visitors can take along their collections of rocks and fossils and find out more about them.

The roadshow, run by the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust, is one of many events being organised by Friends of Bishops Wood this year.

Julie Bundred, trust community liaison manager, said: "The roadshow is a collection of activities for families and groups that are all based on Earth science and give a hands-on experience of geology and Earth heritage. The emphasis is on simple, fun ways of learning about geology."

The centre won a prestigious award for its promotion of environmental art when in participated in last year's Big Draw, a national event aimed at encouraging the public to get involved with the arts.

Visitors to the centre last autumn were able to try printmaking, felt making, mud painting and 3D drawing.

Jon Cree, education and training officer at the centre, said: "We are delighted that our work has been recognised. This award celebrates the good practice within Worcestershire and at Bishops Woods Centre in environmental art.

"One of the huge successes of this year's event was seeing families taking time to share their inspiration from the woods around the centre."

Staff will attend a ceremony at the British Museum tonight, where artist, Quentin Blake, will present them with their prize.

Bishops Wood Centre is in the grounds of the National Grid sub-station at Bishops Wood, Crossway Green and is supported by Worcestershire County Council, National Grid, Worcester College of Technology and Friends of Bishops Wood.

There will be a small admission fee for Sunday's event, which will run from 11am until 3pm. For further details, contact the centre on 01299 250513.