A two day beach Festival taking place in Dorset is asking the public to come and contribute to research that could help stop crimes in the future.
The Footprints on the Beach Festival is inspired by research currently being conducted at Bournemouth University, looking at the way footprint analysis can be used when investigating crime scenes.
The free Festival will ask members of the public to lend their own footprints in the name of science – with the results going towards the research being conducted by the University’s Professor Matthew Bennett.
Taking place near Boscombe Pier, there will also be a number of other activities to do, including digging for fossils, footprint-based sandcastle competitions and science experiments. A number of entertainers will also be on hand for people to enjoy.
Professor Matthew Bennett will be leading the day and said, “Footprints can tell us so much – they can tell us about who people are, how they walk and they can even help to solve crimes! Come and join us near Boscombe Pier to learn more about what your footprints say about you.
“This is your chance to come and be a part of a science project taking place on your doorstep. We’d love to have as many people down as possible to take part, and there will also be a number of hands on science experiments like digging for fossils, and entertainers to enjoy while you are here.”
The activities are running on 4th and 5th July 2015 between 10am and 5pm near Boscombe Pier, with people of all ages welcome to attend and enjoy the free activities on offer, alongside the usual attractions that make Bournemouth beach so popular.
The event is part of a series of events funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) as a part of their Summer of Science to celebrate their 50th anniversary as an organisation.
Rebecca Byng