YOUNGSTERS were handed some eggs-tra special prizes after completing a challenge at the Dorset County Museum.

The museum held a Dino Egg family event throughout the Easter holidays with young visitors to the venue encouraged to find clues throughout the museum's galleries to help complete a question sheet.

The winning entries have now been chosen and the children have been in to collect their prizes.

Oscar Barge picked up the top prize of a giant dinosaur chocolate egg.

As well as helping to attract more youngsters into the venue, the event was part of the museum's development appeal to raise funds for its exciting expansion programme including plans for a Collections Discovery Centre that will allow greater public access to its artefacts.

Fundraising team leader at the museum David Taylor said: "Following the success of the Easter Dino Egg Hunt we have raised £180.

"The enormous success is thanks to the generosity of our suppliers such as Waitrose, Thorntons, Wise Owl Toys and Angel Cake Company.

"We are pleased to see a lot of people got involved and enjoyed the event."

Mr Taylor added that the museum would be looking to run more competitions and events to get the community involved, with another one planned for the summer, possibly with a Hardy theme.

He said: "The money will go towards the Collections Discovery Centre and we are looking to do future events with our local suppliers to benefit the town and county and the community as a whole."

Mr Taylor said that the prizes had gone down well with the competition winners.

He said: "The prizes were well received by the winner and their parents, who thought it was an outstanding event for the county town to put on to cover the Easter holidays."

Mr Taylor added: "Thanks to everybody involved and all the support that was given, which was extremely generous."

The Dorset County Museum is also on a hunt of its own for volunteers to help with its fundraising bid for the Collections Discovery Centre as efforts are ramped up.

He said: "The fundraising is gathering speed and momentum within the museum and we are looking for volunteers to help our cause."

Anyone interested is asked to contact Mr Taylor at the museum on 01305 756827 or email fundraising@dorsetcountymuseum.org