Nearly 40,000 shipwrecks are waiting to be discovered along the British coast, Historic England has said, after awarding protection to three wrecks in Devon.

A medieval fishing boat and two 18th century merchant ships have been given protected status which will ensure their survival and stop metal detector users or salvage brokers plundering the timbers.

Storms in recent years have uncovered hidden wrecks and are new finds are likely in the coming years.

But experts at Historic England say there are still tens of thousands of missing ships which are yet to be found and coastal walks are encouraged to keep an eye out, particularly after bad weather.