NEW stocks made from locally-sourced Wyre oak have been installed at Bewdley Museum after the last ones deteriorated beyond repair.

Volunteers from Wyre Community Land Trust were commissioned to replace the old stocks - a device historically used to restrain offenders as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation.

The project was funded by generous donations from the museum's visitors.

The new stocks, which are made from sustainably-grown wood, were designed and built by Land Trust volunteers in the wood workshop at St George's Farm.

Kidderminster Shuttle:

A spokesman for Wyre Community Land Trust said: "The existing stocks had been in situ a long time and we’re grateful to the Museum for working with local organisations and making the best use of local resources from the Wyre Forest."

The stocks were installed this week and Land Trust volunteers Jan Syska and Clive Haycock and Friends of Bewdley Museum chair Jenny Robbins were first to test out the new device.

Alison Bakr, manager at Bewdley Museum, said: “We are extremely grateful for all the donations from our visitors, with their help we’ve been able to commission new stocks after the old ones had deteriorated beyond repair.

"The volunteers at Wyre Community Land Trust have done a brilliant job making the new stocks using materials from across the district.

"If you want to see the stocks in person, come down to Bewdley Museum from 10am to 4.30pm every day until Sunday, December 22."

For more information about events and exhibitions at Bewdley Museum, visit bewdleymuseum.co.uk.