THE future of a museum dedicated to famed Worcestershire composer Edward Elgar could be saved by the National Trust.

The Elgar Birthplace Museum, in Lower Broadheath near Worcester, looks set be taken over by the charity for a five year trial period, in a bid to bolster dwindling visitor numbers.

Trustee Michael Clarke says the new relationship would see the Elgar Foundation lease the building and its contents to the Trust, giving it responsibility for running the museum and developing plans for its future.

Initially, the organisation would take charge for five years with a view to potentially becoming the permanent owners if the trial goes well.

However, a spokesman for the National Trust said negotiations surrounding the lease are still ongoing, and it expects to make a full announcement in October.

Mr Clarke said: "The first thing to say, is I think this is a real scoop for Worcester and Worcestershire. It is really, really exciting.

"In exploring over the last couple of years how we might reverse the trend it became obvious to the trustees there were some really difficult hills to climb.

"We do not have the money to develop the museum beyond what you see today. Consequently, we could only see the pattern of visitors and their decline continuing.

"If we continue as we are at the moment we will be declining rather than expanding and we can only go on doing that for so long.

"The National Trust will bring immediately a bigger number of people to the museum. They are talking about doing some building to give them the room to have a cafe.

"I think if we hadn't had a good response from them we would now be talking seriously about our end. We would be talking about the end for the museum."

He continued to explain the Trustees will remain in place during the first five years, but after that will divert their attention to promoting Elgar around the world.

"We [the trustees] shall remain for that five year period because we will be in the back room so to speak and providing what ever the National Trust wants from us," explained Mr Clarke.

"For the long term, I think we will be looking at other ways of promoting Elgar on a world stage.

For more information about the museum visit elgarmuseum.org.uk