Stump Cross Caverns: Thief steals shark's tooth fossil that's millions of years old from Yorkshire Dales visitor attraction - then breaks it after throwing it back into the car park

The Megladon tooth, which is several millions of years old and came from the remains of an extinct shark that was once one of the world’s greatest predators, was returned in a carrier bag to the visitor attraction and the thief was caught on CCTV throwing it back carelessly.

The tooth was taken by a visitor to a guided fossil dig on Thursday, an event also caught on security cameras.

Lisa Bowerman, who owns the attraction near Pateley Bridge, said: “Well I am speechless! The millions of years old Megladon tooth has been returned. Sadly it’s broken, if only they would have handled it with care!

“We got a phone call from an anonymous number to say it had been returned. We asked why they had launched it but they just hung up!

“Wow, how hard would it be just to deliver it properly and intact? Words fail me.

“We’ve just watched the CCTV of the fossil dig and can see clearly on camera who took it. So hiding from the camera on its return was somewhat pointless.”

The caves were discovered by lead miners in 1860, and since then a number of prehistoric fossils have been found there. Lisa, a former nurse from Doncaster, and partner Nick Markham have run the attraction since 2003.