SHIJIAZHUANG, May 28 -- Chinese researchers said they have discovered a suspected dinosaur fossil in a hilly area in northern Hebei Province.

The femoral and cervical spine fossil pieces were discovered on May 21 on a hill at Liqilong Village in Fengning Manchu Autonomous County, said Wang Chaolin, curator of Fengning Ancient Fossils Museum on Wednesday.

It was another important discovery in Fengning County, where archaeologists unearthed the fossil of the world's earliest bird in 2005, said Wang.

The new fossil piece is estimated to be seven to ten meters long and was initially judged to be that of a dinosaur, he said. The site has been under around-the-clock protection.

Local government said it would soon invite archaeologists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to carry out excavation after obtaining approvals.