Scientists in China say they have discovered the world's largest dinosaur fossil site in the eastern province of Shandong, state media reported today.

Scientists had recovered some 7,600 fossils from a 300 metre long pit near Zhucheng city over the past seven months, Xinhua news agency said.

The finds included remains of a 20-metre hadrosaurus, which could be a record size for the duck-billed dinosaur, Xinhua said.

Scientists had put down tools for the winter, but said further excavations could yield more fossils.

Zhucheng, known locally as China's "Dinosaur City", has produced dinosaur fossils in some 30 sites, according to local media.

China, a relative late-comer to archaeology, has ramped up exploration in recent years and makes regular finds of rare fossils, which are sometimes smuggled out of the country to be sold for large sums.

In January, Australia handed back hundreds of kilogrammes of Chinese dinosaur fossils to Beijing, including eggs dating back hundreds of millions of years, recovered from warehouses and cargo containers in sting operations, Australian media reported.