It was found in a fossil site dating back between 145 to 66 million years ago called the Wessex Foundation.

The new species belongs to the plant-eating ankylosaur group and has been named Vectipelta barretti - after Professor Paul Barrett who's worked at the Natural History Museum for 20 years.

It's the second armoured dinosaur found on the island after Polacanthus foxii in 1865.

The new find has different neck and back bones to its predecessor, with analysis showing contrasting pelvic structures and more spiked armour.

Experts say it's most closely related to some Chinese ankylosaurs, suggesting they roamed between Asia and Europe in the Early Cretaceous period.

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Stuart Pond, a Natural History Museum researcher, said: "For virtually 142 years, all ankylosaur remains from the Isle of Wight have been assigned to Polacanthus foxii... now all of those finds need to be revisited because we've described this new species."

He added: "This is an important specimen because it sheds light on ankylosaur diversity within the Wessex formation and Early Cretaceous England."

Professor Paul Barrett said he was "flattered and absolutely delighted" that the dinosaur had been named after him - and that any physical resemblance "is purely accidental".

The research is published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.