HE IS the Eastleigh dino enthusiast who had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Harry Swift placed the final 292nd bone on the foot of Dippy the Diplodocus when it was unveiled at Dorset County Museum on February 8.

Dippy the Diplodocus is the 150 million year old dinosaur replica that will go on display in several museums across the country.

Harry, 11, was drawn at random from hundreds of entries to help assist the reconstruction of Dippy following his move from the Natural History Museum in London.

Wearing a personalised 'Harry and Dippy' t-shirt, the Fair Oak Junior School pupil said he was "really excited" but "a little nervous" fitting the final bone.

Dippy was discovered in 1898 has been famously on show at The Natural History Museum in London since 1905 and has never left the museum.

The skeleton is a cast made in the early 1900s from an original in Pennsylvania, USA.

It is an example of the Diplodocus carnegii species, which lived between 145 and 156 million years ago.

Philippa Charles, director of the Garfield Western Foundation, which have helped fund Dippy's tour, said: "The foundation is 60 years old this year and trustees decided it would be fantastic to partnership with the Natural History Museum to bring something out of London that would inspire and educate so many people.

"Dippy is magnificent and there is no better place for him to start his tour than in Dorset."

Dippy will reside at Dorset County Museum until May 7 before continuing its national tour going on display in Birmingham, Ulster, Glasgow, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Wales, Rochdale and Norwich.