YOUNGSTERS got to help scientists with a project to find out how snails have evolved over the last 40 years.

Families took part in the snail hunt at Charles Darwin’s former home, Down House in Downe to aid The Open University team who are working on the nationwide MegaLab project.

The academics want to compare data supplied by members of the public with a database of historical records to see if a certain type of snails have evolved in response to climate change.

Science staff tutor for The Open University, Dr Carlton Wood, said: “These events are a wonderful opportunity for members of the public to do their own evolutionary experiments and surveys in Darwin’s own garden.

“It is the very place where this extraordinary scientist carried out his research and developed his ideas.”

For more information, visit evolutionmegalab.org