THE mayor of Dawlish, Cllr Tom Bush, officially opened the town's museum for the forthcoming season on Saturday. For the occasion, local dignitaries travelled in Dawlish Disability Transport's 'Bert's Bus', driven by his son, John Hartnell, from the Manor House to the museum with a guard of honour from Dawlish ATC. Mr Hartnell Snr, who the bus is named after, started Dawlish Disability Transport and did much fundraising and volunteering in the town before he died in 1999. This year a museum display has been dedicated to him. A tribute to Marine Paul Collins, of Dawlish – who died in a helicopter crash in Basra – was also unveiled. A special presentation was given to Jo De Lusignan, the museum's main fundraiser for the past five years, who is now retiring due to ill health. 'It went extremely well,' said Brenda French, of Dawlish Museum. 'I think we had about 160 people through the doors that afternoon.'
