An old naval gun is one of the last artefacts to be removed from Teignmouth and Shaldon Museum, which is being given a major facelift. The weapon came from a French merchant vessel, the Perrone, which was sunk by a U-boat off the town in the first world war. It was recovered in the early 90s and has been one of the star attractions at the French Street museum. It was one of the final exhibits to be taken out of the cramped building and put into secure storage until it can go back on display at the new £1million premises. Work on the extension and renovation is due to start soon, and when finished promises to be an iconic building for the town. It was the largest item to be removed by haulage specialist R J Beere. The staff know it well – Richard Beere helped to install the gun in the museum more than a decade ago. The removal went without a hitch, but was made difficult because of the limited space caused by external works on the pavement outside. The extraction attracted a lot of attention from passersby, and all the artefacts have now been safely packed ready for storage. The new museum will be bigger and more modern, with better facilities for conserving and displaying the rich heritage of the Teignmouth area.