Can you help unravel the mystery of how an historic Ottery shop sign ended trapped behind a wall in another town?

The notice for C H Veal Practical Tailor and Outfitter was found in high street shop Bests of Honiton when builders were carrying out refurbishment work to the upstairs showroom last month.

It had to be removed from the inside of an internal wall.

“It is too old to just throw away,” says the shop’s owner, Pauline Curry.

“It would be nice to know where it came from.”

Mrs Curry said she would like to see the window re-united with the Veal family, and uncover the mystery behind how the sign ended up trapped behind an upstairs wall.

Margaret Lewis, the archivist and curator of Allhallows Museum, Honiton, has discovered from records the shop was open in Ottery from 1891 to 1911, but has been unable to discover anything else about it.

Anyone with information is urged to call Herald reporter Alain Tolhurst on 01392 888503 or email alain.tolhurst@archant.co.uk.