In 2012 a dragon was carved into the hillside in a Suffolk village – but do you know why?

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, the Bures Dragon was etched into the landscape in honour of a story that dates back centuries. 

The story of the Bures Dragon was first recorded in 1405 by a local monk who said the terrifying creature terrorised the village.

Local legend says that in the Middle Ages servants of the local knights encountered the dragon and tried to kill it with arrows, and failed. 

Geoffrey Probert with help from Dennis Ambrose, Adam Norton and David Cowlin decided to bring the legend to life more than 10 years ago now.

One theory is that the 'dragon' was, in fact, one of King Richard I's pet crocodiles given to the Lionheart as a gift from King Saladin during the 12th century Crusades.

The reptile would have been kept at the Tower of London alongside other curious creatures collected by the King, but is believed to have escaped and ended up in the marshes near Bures.

It can be seen along the Cuckoo Hill to Clicket bridle path on the east side of Bures, just inside the Suffolk border – with the village also partly in Essex. 

The dragon is on private land and cannot be approached on foot.