The test results are back on a giant object found by a dog walker in Chilton Chine near Brighstone Bay earlier today.
April Joli discovered the giant pearl item while out waking this morning, and it all turns out to be a bit of a prank or April jolly if you prefer.
Hailed as either the fossilised excrement of an oyster eating dinosaur thought to have live on the isle, or as the world biggest pearl, it would appear in fact the latter is partially true.
The mysterious object is actually one from a display found at Isle of Wight Pearl and is a replica of the Pearl of Lao-tze, which was found in 1934 in a giant clam shell in the Philippines. The real version is worth more than $40million and is owned by a Beverly Hills jeweller.
Following their little jape, the ‘fake’ object will be on show at Isle of Wight Pearl over the weekend for visitors to view, alongside a giant clamshell, the same type as the original gem would have been found in. The Dinosaur Isle Museum, who were also in on the fun, will also have a replica of the Pearl. There you can meet life sized models, see the exhibits of real fossils and artefacts on show at their site in Sandown.
Rossanne Burfoot said:
“Everyone needs a giggle now and again; we’ve had a lot of fun. Thanks to our friends at Dinosaur Isle Museum for joining in on the joke with us!”
