Charles Dickens' Great Expectations script in Wisbech

The beginning of the novel, as narrated by Pip, and (right) a boxed-in and crossed-out section reveals changes made by Dickens to the novel's ending

The manuscript of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations is to go on display to tie-in with a new TV adaptation.

The original 1861 text, in the author's "spidery" handwriting, spends most of its time in the vault at Wisbech and Fenland Museum in Cambridgeshire.

It will go on show to mark the start of a BBC drama with Olivia Colman.

"The public can come and see the real thing in its sealed case and marvel at Dickens' many changes and crossings out," said curator Robert Bell.

Dickens' handwriting had a tendency to slope towards the bottom right of the page and the ending of the novel has been boxed in and scratched out.

The museum said this showed how he changed the plot after advice from a friend, to make the ending more ambiguous.

Miss Havisham (Olivia Colman), Pip (Fionn Whitehead) and Estella (Shalom Brune-Franklin) in the new adaptation of Great Expectations

"The manuscript is a priceless document and quite fragile so we try to avoid handling it too much, and when it is put on display it is carefully protected," added Mr Bell.

Dickens had bound the manuscript and given it to his friend, the Rev Chauncy Hare Townshend, who bequeathed it to the museum, along with other treasures, in 1868.

It will be on display, along with other Dickens-related manuscripts and books, from Wednesday, 29 March to Saturday, 8 April.

Great Expectations begins on BBC One on Sunday, 26 March at 21:00 BST.