A CAMPAIGN to help archaeological archives across the south west to go on show or be safely stored will be led by Wiltshire Museum in Devizes.

The Arts Council England has awarded £45,000 to the project called Seeing The Light Of Day, which aims to showcase historic finds from sites across the region to as many people as possible.

A spokesman said: "As new housing has been built over the last few years, archaeologists have been busy excavating sites to record archaeological evidence before it is destroyed.

"Unfortunately, no financial provision has been made for these finds to be looked after by museums.

"Most museums stores across the south west region are now full and there is a backlog of some 50 cubic metres of finds waiting to come to museums – the same size as a double-decker bus. The backlog is growing at the rate of five cubic metres a year."

The project will look at how important evidence of our past can be properly looked after and made available to people in the area where excavations have taken place.

It is hoped it will allow museums to safeguard the paper and digital archives and finds for future generations of researchers.

David Dawson, director of Wiltshire Museum, said: "This support will help tackle a problem faced by museums not just across the south west, but also across the country."

Phil Gibby, area director for Arts Council England, said: "This is a great example of how museums working together can move towards developing sustainable solutions to shared issues and we’re delighted to be supporting them."