Discover the hidden world of BBC wildlife filmmaking in Newton Abbot this month

A new exhibition celebrating the career of BBC wildlife filmmaker Andrew Cooper has opened at Newton Abbot Museum, showcasing more than two decades of natural history filmmaking.

The free exhibition, Golden Age of Wildlife Filming, runs throughout August and features filming equipment, archive footage, scripts, paintings and personal memorabilia collected during Cooper's career with the BBC Natural History Unit.

Born and raised in Newton Abbot, Cooper has travelled to more than 70 countries filming wildlife documentaries and continues to live on the edge of Dartmoor.

The exhibition focuses on the period between 1980 and 2000, often regarded as the golden age of BBC wildlife documentaries.

Among the displays are annotated draft scripts by Sir David Attenborough, alongside equipment and artefacts that offer an insight into how landmark programmes were made.

The exhibition was officially opened by Newton Abbot Mayor Councillor Louise Cooke, who praised Cooper's contribution to helping audiences understand the natural world.

She said: "Looking at wildlife photography now, we can all experience the wonder of the natural world because close up we can see how it works.

"Sometimes how awful it can be, how sad, but also how wonderful and how important it is.

"I think your photography, and the work of David Attenborough, has given us so much of a broader view of our world.

"It's absolutely wonderful and I thank you very much for that."

Speaking at the opening, Cooper reflected on a career that has taken him across the globe, sharing stories from filming in remote and sometimes dangerous locations.

"There are some very dangerous locations in the wild and when you're concentrating on the subject, sometimes you don't realise that something else is creeping up on you from behind," he said.

Cooper said it was an honour to stage an exhibition in the town he has always called home and welcomed the opportunity to share items from his personal collection with visitors.

Ahead of the exhibition opening, he said he hoped it would inspire others to develop an interest in wildlife and conservation.

"Wildlife and nature are still at the heart of my life on Dartmoor," he said.

"I'm so appreciative that my early passion for natural history led me to this fascinating and challenging career.

"It has taken me to some of the world's most extraordinary places. Working with so many inspirational mentors, including Peter Scott and David Attenborough, put me at the centre of a flourishing team that shaped the course of wildlife filmmaking.

"I very much hope this exhibition might be a trigger for a new generation of filmmakers or conservationists to record and celebrate our amazing world."

Museum curator Joanna Eccles thanked staff and volunteers for the work involved in preparing the exhibition and thanked Cooper for making his collection available to the museum.

The exhibition is open throughout August at Newton Abbot Museum.

Admission is free, with opening hours from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday.