Purpose　The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　present　a　novel　stretch-retractable　single　section　(SRSS)　continuum　manipulator　which　owns　three　degrees　of　freedom　and　higher　motion　range　in　three-dimension　workspace　than　regular　single　continuum　manipulator.　Moreover,　the　motion　accuracy　was　analyzed　based　on　the　kinematic　model.　In　addition,　the　experiments　were　carried　out　for　validation　of　the　theory.　Design/methodology/approach　A　kinematics　model　of　the　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　is　presented　for　analysis　on　bending,　rotating　and　retracting　in　its　workspace.　To　discuss　the　motion　accuracy　of　the　SRSS　continuum　manipulator,　the　dexterity　theory　was　introduced　based　on　the　decomposing　of　the　Jacobian　matrix.　In　addition,　the　accuracy　of　motion　is　estimated　based　on　the　inverse　kinematics　and　dexterity　theory.　To　verify　the　presented　theory,　the　motion　of　free　end　was　tracked　by　an　electromagnetic　positioning　system.　According　to　the　comparison　of　experimental　value　and　theoretical　analysis,　the　free　end　error　of　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　is　less　than　6.24　per　cent　in　the　region　with　favorable　dexterity.　Findings　This　paper　presents　a　new　stretch-retractable　continuum　manipulator　that　the　structure　was　composed　of　several　springs　as　the　backbone.　Thus,　the　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　could　own　wide　motion　range　depending　on　its　retractable　structure.　Then,　the　motion　accuracy　character　of　the　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　in　the　different　regions　of　its　workspace　was　obtained　both　theoretically　and　experimentally.　The　results　show　that　the　high　accuracy　region　distributes　in　the　vicinity　of　the　outer　boundary　of　the　workspace.　The　motion　accuracy　gradually　decreases　with　the　motion　position　approaching　to　the　center　of　its　workspace.　Research　limitations/implications　-　The　presented　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　owns　three　degrees　of　freedom.　The　future　work　would　be　focused　on　the　two-section　structure　which　will　own　six　degrees　of　freedom.　Practical　implications　-　In　this　study,　the　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　could　be　extended　to　six　degrees　of　freedom　continuum　robot　with　two　sections　that　is　less　one　section　than　regular　six　degrees　of　freedom　with　three　single　section　continuum　manipulator.　Originality/value　The　value　of　this　study　is　to　propose　a　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　which　owns　three　degrees　of　freedom　and　could　stretch　and　retract　to　expend　workspace,　for　which　the　accuracy　in　different　regions　of　the　workspace　was　analyzed　and　validated　based　on　the　kinematics　model　and　experiments.　The　results　could　be　feasible　to　plan　the　motion　space　of　the　SRSS　continuum　manipulator　for　keeping　in　suitable　accuracy　region.