A STONE Age skeleton which has laid at rest in an East Lancashire museum for more than 115 years has ‘gone home’ for the summer holidays.

Back in the late 19th century the remains of ‘Blodwen’ were unearthed by a Bacup engineer during quarrying work at the Little Orme, in Llandudno.

She is thought to have died around the year 3,510BC and researchers believe she was aged between 54 and 63.

Her bones were donated to the Bacup Natural History Museum, in Yorkshire Street, where she has been a star attraction ever since.

But now Blodwen, who is regarded as Llandudno’s first resident, has been returned to Gwynedd for a British Council for Archaeology national festival exhibition at the Welsh town’s museum.

Natural historian Wendy Watters, who runs the town’s Bacup Times website, said: “If anyone is planning a visit to North Wales this summer they should go and have a look at Blodwen.

“She was donated to the Bacup Nat, along with a bronze spearhead, in 1893 and 1896 respectively.”

Blodwen underwent tests with Manchester University’s research unit and was found to be around five feet tall.

The examination found she had arthritis in her spine and right knee and had probably had a hard life, carrying around heavy loads.

She was found with the remains of a young pig.

Further tests by Oxford University researchers earlier this year have established that she was probably part of a farming community and could have died from cancer.

The exhibition will run until September, when ‘Blodwen’ will be packed up and returned to Rossendale.

The history society, which runs the museum and hosts regular lectures, dates back to 1878 and is supported entirely by volunteers.