A MUSEUM will roar back into the 21st Century with a new clockwork version of a popular exhibit taking pride of place.

Wallace the Lion has been one of the favourite items on display since Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery opened in 1879.

With the museum undergoing renovation a modern Wallace has been produced ready for its reopening later this year.

The two-metre high Wallace automaton, built by artist Martin Smith, takes the form of a clock and donations box. It features a lion made of leather and wood, which turns its head with a roar on the hour and upon the insertion of a coin.

The piece includes two museum curators, one polishing the glass on the inside and the other applauding donations.

It is to stand guard at the entrance of the museum's new Time Machine gallery, which will focus on Sunderland's heritage through key exhibits such as the first Nissan car built in the city and an early penny farthing bicycle.

Until the museum reopens in the summer, Wallace can be seen at Monkwearmouth Station Museum, in North Bridge Street, Sunderland.

Jo Cunningham, education officer at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, said: "This wonderful clock is a work of art, as well as being great fun."