Her name is Jane, she is 66 million years old and 21ft long – and she has set up home near you.

The cast of a skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex is the latest eye-catching exhibit at the University of Leicester.

The T rex was discovered in 2001 in Montana and the cast, made of fibreglass and resin by the team that made the monsters for Jurassic Park, is the first of its kind outside North America.

The dinosaur is part of a £60,000 exhibition spearheaded by University of Leicester geologist Professor David Siveter, who said he was looking for a "wow factor" when he was asked to set up the display in the geology department.

He said: "We wanted something that would be challenging and exciting – that would promote science, educate students and interest the public.

"Natural history has the power to excite and engage and, no matter what your background and age, dinosaurs are a source of fascination.

"This project has been enormous fun and a career highlight. It's not every day one gets the chance to unpack a dinosaur."

Jane was brought over bit by bit from Toronto, the home of Research Casting International, which created the dinosaurs for the Jurassic Park films.

Professor Siveter said the university wanted to produce an exhibit that would appeal to visitors ranging from children to academics.

He said: "It is estimated the dinosaur was 11 years old at the time of death and the 7.5ft-high skeleton shows she was built as a predator-cum-scavenger.

"You can see it from the long, powerful legs, the claws on the limbs and the razor-sharp teeth.

"This animal was engineered to go out and hunt. It could probably move at 20 to 30mph."

The carnivore is one of a number of exhibits illustrating flying dinosaurs and the origin of birds.

Also in the exhibition are "dino-birds" from Beijing, a selection of real dinosaur eggs and a large vertebra.

Aggregate Industries UK, of Markfield, funded the exhibition.

Bill Bolsover, the group's chief executive said: "When the opportunity arose to work in partnership with the university and bring Jane to the UK, we knew it would be a great way to create public fascination.

"This exhibit is the first of its kind ever in this country and we consider it a coup.

"I hope it will be a catalyst in promoting both the university and scientific study in general."