The team at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre are inviting families, history enthusiasts and apple lovers to a special day of celebration on Saturday 26 September, as they celebrate 40 years since the discovery of the famous Condover mammoth alongside the Centre’s annual Apple Day celebrations.

Taking place from 11am to 3pm, the free event will bring together fascinating local history, nature, conservation and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Visitors can discover more about the extraordinary Condover mammoth and the archaeological discovery that captured the imagination of the local community 40 years ago. Throughout the day there will be talks about the mammoth, free entry to the Centre’s exhibition, and the opportunity to meet Dr Peter Toghill, President of the Shropshire Geological Society and one of the original team members who attended the mammoth dig site.

The celebrations will also include seasonal theme, with the Centre’s much-loved Apple Day activities. Visitors are encouraged to bring along their own apples to be juiced and identified, offering a chance to discover more about the varieties growing in local gardens and orchards.

For younger visitors and families, there will be inflatables, face painting and craft activities.

Centre Manager Grant will be leading orchard tours and introducing visitors to the Onny Meadows while explaining the Centre’s ongoing conservation work.

The event offers a unique opportunity to celebrate both the natural and human history of the Shropshire Hills - from a prehistoric mammoth discovered beneath the county’s landscape to the traditional apple harvests that continue to connect people with the countryside today.