Dinosaurs unleashed on Leeds in UK’s biggest free trail of its kind

A T-Rex the height of a house and a Spinosaurus in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal are just some of the beasts on display in Leeds for free this summer.

Leeds Jurassic Trail is taking visitors back in time with 12 full size moving, roaring dinosaurs on show for five weeks in what is believed to be the UK’s biggest free city centre animatronic dinosaur event.

Around 300,000 visited the trail last year, bringing in £2.07million to the Leeds economy, but with a new line-up of dinosaurs – including what is thought to be the first one ever in the UK to be installed in a canal – organiser LeedsBID is expecting even more families or dino fans to visit this summer.

The trail runs from July 30 to September 4 and the full line-up includes:

Spinosaurus – Granary Wharf

Atrociraptor – Leeds City Station

Parasaurolophus – Leeds Corn Exchange

Baryonx – Leeds Kirkgate Market

Brachiosaurus – Merrion Centre

Dilophosaurus – SOYO Leeds (Quarry Hill)

Ruyangosaurus – St Johns Centre

Stegosaurus – The Core Shopping Centre

Tyrannosaurus – Trinity Leeds

Nasutoceratops – Trinity Kitchen

Amargasaurus – Victoria Gate

Triceratops – Victoria Quarter

And children’s TV star Andy Day will be the face and voice of the trail, giving key facts and stats about many of the creatures on digital displays dotted around the city centre, alongside the dinosaurs.

John Lewis will also host story time adventures and baby dino hatchery on special dates and live Jurassic entertainment including walkabout beasts will be held on Briggate and Lands Lane every Saturday on Sunday for free throughout the trail.

And a spectacular 8m high floral volcano in Trinity Leeds has been installed, bursting with 5,000 tropical blooms transforming the centre into ‘Jurassic Island’. Visitors can also walk through a giant dinosaur head at the Merrion Centre and there are dinosaur activities at Leeds Kirkgate Market too.

Martin Dickson, Head of Marketing at LeedsBID, said: “The scale of some of this year’s beasts is just huge and when you put them in these urban settings, they really stand out. And there’s so much more on offer as well with an assortment of added attractions to discover and enjoy.

“As far as massive free city centre events go that last this number of weeks, this has got to be right up there with the best in Britain. The fact it’s completely free means people can come into Leeds, have a great time and experience the other countless things the city has to offer.”

Leeds Jurassic Trail 3 will run from July 30 to September 4, featuring partners Canal & River Trust, Child Friendly Leeds, Granary Wharf, Leeds City Council, Leeds Corn Exchange, Leeds Kirkgate Market, Leeds City Station, Merrion Centre, SOYO Leeds, St Johns Centre, The Core, Trinity Kitchen, Trinity Leeds, Victoria Leeds and John Lewis who are all joining forces on the event.

To find out more including location and dinosaur details, see www.leedsjurassictrail.co.ukor follow the action on www.facebook.com/leedsjurassictrail