Britain’s first Cornish Pasty Heritage Centre is asking the public to donate artefacts to help tell its story.

The centre, which will open in St Austell early next year, has been described as the ‘pasty museum’ and will form a component of the wider Cornish food and drink visitor attraction, Cornucopia.

Sam Healy, from WMC Retail Partners, the company leading the development, said: “With all of the connections to Cornish mining and links overseas, we have a fascinating and rich story to tell.

"It’s important that we include genuine artefacts from Cornish producers to sit alongside our multimedia displays and demonstration kitchen.”

Plans for the pasty museum were first announced last October and will offer the public the chance to browse interactive exhibits, make retail purchases and enjoy the on-site food and drinks service.

At the moment, the only pasty museum is in Mexico, which opened in 2011. Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall paid it a visit in 2014.