Early image of Yeovil football team

There are 4,000 photographs in the museum's collection

A photograph believed to be one of the earliest images of a Yeovil football team has emerged.

The picture shows Yeovil Casuals Football Team in 1904-05.

It is believed to have been taken outside the Pen Mill hotel where they are being awarded district league champions after beating Petters United.

The image was loaned to the Museum of South Somerset by museum volunteer Stephen Bartlett. There are 4,000 archived photographs in the collection.

Some date back to the 1880s, showing people, places and events across South Somerset, with some of the earliest ones being taken by former Yeovil Mayor Henry Stiby who was also a keen amateur photographer.

David Hill, visitor services manager at the council said: "It's interesting as the image was taken in the same year that some Yeovil Casuals players transferred to the newly-formed Petters United team.

"When people visit us at the Community Heritage Access Centre to view old photographs they sometimes recognise members of their families or old images of their homes. Our collection is continuously growing and we welcome any new photographs - we can take copies for display if the owner wants to keep the original."

Museum staff are also appealing for anyone with old photographs of Larcombe's Corner in Yeovil. Photographs from that area (the junction of Sherborne Road and St Michael's Avenue) dating from the 1960s are in particular demand but any from pre 1980 would be of interest. A 1960s photo of where Lyde Road met the A30 in Yeovil is also in demand.