A Grade I-listed dinosaur, which has been stationed at Crystal Palace Park since the 1800’s, has been given an “emergency face-lift.”
It comes after the nose and mouth of the Megalosaurus sculpture broke off last May, during the UK’s first lockdown, and Historic England had to undergo a “rescue mission.”
The giant statue, 3.5 metres high and 10 metres long, was at “serious risk of deteriorating beyond repair” when the parts collapsed, the public body said.
The recovery, which was made possible through a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund, ensured that the dinosaur received 22 new teeth and a “prosthetic jaw.”
Fundraising from the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs also helped.
Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive, said: “The towering Megalosaurus is loved by children and adults alike, with a fan club across the capital, the country and indeed the world, ” reported the BBC.
“It is heartening to think that this restoration work will give so much pleasure to so many people, as we begin to explore historic places again,” he added.
The Megalosaurus is part of more than 30 animal sculptures in the park, which are on the Heritage At Risk register.
Historic England told the broadcaster that the creatures represented the cutting edge of scientific knowledge at the time and would have been “an extraordinary sight” to the Victorians.
