MORE than 250,000 people are expected to enjoy attractions at the Jurassic Coast Earth Festival 2012 over the summer.

It will celebrate the world heritage site with events in towns including Weymouth and Lyme Regis.

The five-month-long festival is being held from May 4 to September 9 and will focus on dinosaurs and fossils but also feature music and arts.

There will be more than 30 events from May to September including an Onboard’s Jurassic Airlines flight simulator ride which takes passengers flying with dinosaurs.

The 747 simulator will whisk passengers back 185million years back in time to fly with pterodactyls.

They will then cruise along the Jurassic Coastline and plunge deep into the waters of the Jurassic seas so they can encounter ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs during the 15-minute-long trip.

It will have its first flight in Lyme Regis on May 4 before moving along to Weymouth for the Olympic and Paralympic sailing and windsurfing events.

There will also be a Fossil Festival taking place in Lyme Regis and Charmouth, including children’s cinema, music acts, walks and also art exhibitions.

Candida Blaker, who is director of the Jurassic Coast Earth Festival 2012, said: “We have a thrilling programme of events which have been developed from all sections of the community.

“They will take place in all types of venues, from the beach to museums, theatres, village halls and even the virtual world.

“The Earth Festival and the Fossil Festival have won the rare accolades of UNESCO patronage.

“The Jurassic Coast World Heritage site will provide the thread that brings together volunteers, scientists, artists and other professionals, enabling communities to investigate, share and celebrate the earth sciences.”