AFTER four long years Newton Abbot Museum opens its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday.

Housed in Newton’s Place, the former St Leonard’s Church building turned community hub and town council offices, the amazing museum boasts a wealth of displays and artefacts celebrating the history of both the town and surrounding area.

Among the displays at the museum are the prehistoric Milber Votives, exquisite miniature Bronze Age cast animal figures discovered at Milber Down in the 1930s, which have been loaned to the museum from Torquay Museum,

Artefacts featuring Newton Abbot’s rich railway heritage are also among the many displays with visitors being able to have a hands on experience of operating railway signals or propelling a model showing how Brunel’s atmospheric railway worked.

Museum curator Felicity Cole said: ‘The museum is looking amazing. We know how much interest Newton’s Place has generated and people won’t be disappointed when they see inside.’

Although entry is free, Covid-19 restrictions require that all trips are booked in advance and numbers controlled.

This Saturday is fully booked, however bookings can be made via www.museum-newtonabbot.org.uk or by calling 01626 201121.

For the full story and picture special see tomorrow’s Mid-Devon Advertiser.