By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 05:44 EST, 6 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:55 EST, 6 March 2014 . Britain’s recent  spell of wet weather has damaged many people’s homes but it has also unearthed some archaeological treasures. Prints that could be 7,000 years old have been uncovered by a tidal surge in Northumberland. The impressions, some made by animals and others possibly by humans, have been preserved in a newly exposed area of peat bed at Druridge Bay. The footprints, some made by animals (pictured) and others possibly by humans, have been preserved in a newly exposed area of peat bed at Druridge Bay, Northumberland . It has not yet been revealed which animals made each of the prints discovered. However, a similar site nearby, where prints were confirmed to be 7,000 years old, contained comparable prints. They were found to have been made by wild boar, . large deer and cattle, which are thought to have been similar to the modern . Highland variety. Adult and child footprints were also . identified at the Low Hauxley site. It is believed the 100metre long bed has been uncovered during the recent tidal surge that hit the east coast of England. The find follows the discovery of similar footprints, which have since dated at more than 7,000 years old, at nearby Low Hauxley in an organised dig that took place last year. Archaeologist Barry Mead found the latest prints on his daily walk along the beach near his home with his dog, although it is not yet certain as to exactly which animals the prints were made by. Mr Mead, who is Greater Morpeth Development Trust’s Heritage Officer, was involved in last year’s dig and now regularly walks the length of Druridge Bay to look for new prints. At around the time the prints (pictured) were thought to be made, Mesolithic period hunter-gatherers who had followed migrating animals as they moved around the country, were beginning to form settled communities . The new animal prints were found at Druridge Bay (pictured) and similar were discovered at Low Hauxley (also pictured) last year, which included footprints made by adults and a child 7,000 years ago . ‘I have never seen this peat bed until now. When I looked more closely you can clearly see lots of footprints along with some large tree trunks, one of which is still attached to its root system,’ he said. ‘My discovery of these latest footprints adds to the picture that has been built up of what life may have been like thousands of years ago on this stretch of the Northumberland coast. ‘Around the time these prints would have been made, Mesolithic period hunter-gatherers who had followed migrating animals as they moved around the country, were beginning to form settled communities.’ Archaeologist Barry Mead found the latest prints (pictured) on his daily walk along the beach near his Cresswell home with his dog . Archaeologist Barry Mead (pictured) said: 'My discovery of these latest footprints adds to the picture that has been built up of what life may have been like thousands of years ago on this stretch of the Northumberland coast' Both adult and child prints were identified during the Low Hauxley dig as well as those of wild boar, large deer and cattle, which are thought to be similar to the modern Highland variety. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the prints were more than 7,000 years old. Mr Mead said: ‘It is reasonable to assume that the footprints I discovered may have been made by these same animals - and perhaps humans - around the same time because of their proximity to Low Hauxley. It is quite incredible to stand on the beach and look at footprints that may have been left by animals passing this very way perhaps thousands of years ago.’ The earliest footprints left by humans outside Africa have been found in estuary mud in Norfolk, it was announced last month. Described as 'the most important discovery on British shores', the 800,000-year-old footprints were found in Happisburgh after being exposed by sea tides. Scientists believe the footprints are evidence of the earliest known humans in northern Europe, previously only revealed through the discovery of animal bones and stone tools. The footprint surface was exposed at low tide as heavy seas removed the beach sands to reveal a series of elongated hollows cut into compacted silts. Of the 50 footprints found, only around twelve were reasonably complete while two showed the toes in detail. It is thought that the prints represent a group of at least one or two adult males, at least two adult females or teenagers and three or four children. In some cases the heel, arch and even toes could be identified, equating to modern shoes of up to UK size 8. The early humans would have looked very much like us, but with much smaller brains, said one expert. Last month it was announced that 800,000-year-old footprints were found in Norfolk. Analysis from the British Museum showed the prints, pictured, were from a range of adult and juvenile foot sizes and that in some cases the heel, arch and even toes could be identified, equating to modern shoes of up to UK size 8. The camera lens cap is used for scale .
Animal prints were preserved in a peat bed at Druridge Bay, Northumberland and were thought to have been uncovered by a tidal surge .
There could be human footprints among them .
Similar impressions were discovered in nearby Low Hauxley last year and some were confirmed to belong to adults and a child .
By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 05:44 EST, 6 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:55 EST, 6 March 2014 . Britain’s recent  spell of wet weather has damaged many people’s homes but it has also unearthed some archaeological treasures. Prints that could be 7,000 years old have been uncovered by a tidal surge in Northumberland. The impressions, some made by animals and others possibly by humans, have been preserved in a newly exposed area of peat bed at Druridge Bay. The footprints, some made by animals (pictured) and others possibly by humans, have been preserved in a newly exposed area of peat bed at Druridge Bay, Northumberland . It has not yet been revealed which animals made each of the prints discovered. However, a similar site nearby, where prints were confirmed to be 7,000 years old, contained comparable prints. They were found to have been made by wild boar, . large deer and cattle, which are thought to have been similar to the modern . Highland variety. Adult and child footprints were also . identified at the Low Hauxley site. It is believed the 100metre long bed has been uncovered during the recent tidal surge that hit the east coast of England. The find follows the discovery of similar footprints, which have since dated at more than 7,000 years old, at nearby Low Hauxley in an organised dig that took place last year. Archaeologist Barry Mead found the latest prints on his daily walk along the beach near his home with his dog, although it is not yet certain as to exactly which animals the prints were made by. Mr Mead, who is Greater Morpeth Development Trust’s Heritage Officer, was involved in last year’s dig and now regularly walks the length of Druridge Bay to look for new prints. At around the time the prints (pictured) were thought to be made, Mesolithic period hunter-gatherers who had followed migrating animals as they moved around the country, were beginning to form settled communities . The new animal prints were found at Druridge Bay (pictured) and similar were discovered at Low Hauxley (also pictured) last year, which included footprints made by adults and a child 7,000 years ago . ‘I have never seen this peat bed until now. When I looked more closely you can clearly see lots of footprints along with some large tree trunks, one of which is still attached to its root system,’ he said. ‘My discovery of these latest footprints adds to the picture that has been built up of what life may have been like thousands of years ago on this stretch of the Northumberland coast. ‘Around the time these prints would have been made, Mesolithic period hunter-gatherers who had followed migrating animals as they moved around the country, were beginning to form settled communities.’ Archaeologist Barry Mead found the latest prints (pictured) on his daily walk along the beach near his Cresswell home with his dog . Archaeologist Barry Mead (pictured) said: 'My discovery of these latest footprints adds to the picture that has been built up of what life may have been like thousands of years ago on this stretch of the Northumberland coast' Both adult and child prints were identified during the Low Hauxley dig as well as those of wild boar, large deer and cattle, which are thought to be similar to the modern Highland variety. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the prints were more than 7,000 years old. Mr Mead said: ‘It is reasonable to assume that the footprints I discovered may have been made by these same animals - and perhaps humans - around the same time because of their proximity to Low Hauxley. It is quite incredible to stand on the beach and look at footprints that may have been left by animals passing this very way perhaps thousands of years ago.’ The earliest footprints left by humans outside Africa have been found in estuary mud in Norfolk, it was announced last month. Described as 'the most important discovery on British shores', the 800,000-year-old footprints were found in Happisburgh after being exposed by sea tides. Scientists believe the footprints are evidence of the earliest known humans in northern Europe, previously only revealed through the discovery of animal bones and stone tools. The footprint surface was exposed at low tide as heavy seas removed the beach sands to reveal a series of elongated hollows cut into compacted silts. Of the 50 footprints found, only around twelve were reasonably complete while two showed the toes in detail. It is thought that the prints represent a group of at least one or two adult males, at least two adult females or teenagers and three or four children. In some cases the heel, arch and even toes could be identified, equating to modern shoes of up to UK size 8. The early humans would have looked very much like us, but with much smaller brains, said one expert. Last month it was announced that 800,000-year-old footprints were found in Norfolk. Analysis from the British Museum showed the prints, pictured, were from a range of adult and juvenile foot sizes and that in some cases the heel, arch and even toes could be identified, equating to modern shoes of up to UK size 8. The camera lens cap is used for scale .
that could be 7,000 years old have been uncovered by a tidal surge in Northumberland. The newly exposed area of peat bed at Druridge Bay. preserved in a newly exposed area of peat bed at nearby, where prints were confirmed to be 7,000 and child footprints were also . identified at discovered at Low Hauxley (also pictured) last