English Heritage has highlighted a Salcombe shipwreck it wants to protect from further damage.

The Salcombe Cannon site has been added to the Heritage at Risk Register in an effort to save it for future generations.

Previously only Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings were included on the register.

But now for the very first time, archaeology, landscapes, places of worship and maritime wrecks feature on the list.

It follows a recent English Heritage study of tens of thousands of historic sites across the country.

The study, titled the Heritage at Risk project, explains why we are in danger of losing these treasures and what can be done, by whom, to save them.

According to English Heritage maritime archaeologist Mark Dunkley, the Salcombe Cannon site had been earmarked because of its special interest.

He said: "Our Heritage at Risk Register is at the heart of what English Heritage does; identifying what is important and vulnerable and devising ways to save them.

"This new register will enable us to prioritise the Protected Wreck Sites that are most at risk.

"We want to reduce each year the number of protected historic shipwrecks on the Heritage at Risk register to ensure their value and significance is maintained for future generations."

First described in 1992 as a cannon site but divers from the South West Maritime Archaeology Group reappraised the site in 1995 when seabed levels changed exposing gold artefacts such as earrings, pendants and over 400 gold coins.

The gold derives from Morocco and dating for the coins suggests that the vessel was lost in the mid 17th century.

All recovered artefacts are now held by the British Museum as the largest collection of Islamic coins ever found in the UK.

Last year the site was severely damaged and vandalised by an unauthorised fishing vessel operating within the sites restricted area.

Other wrecks listed include Coronation, off Penlee Point, Cornwall, and Iona II, off Lundy Island, north Devon.