In a 'race against time,' archaeologists uncovered Roman-era footprints from a Scottish beach before the tide washed them away

A footprint outlined in orange in the mud with an archaeological scale in the foreground.

While walking their dogs along a cliff-flanked Scottish beach after an intense storm, a couple stumbled upon a series of unusual markings on the damp ground — patterns that looked like ancient human and animal footprints.

Their discovery sparked an archaeological race against the clock to document and study the prints before they disappeared into the surf.