MILLIONS of pounds worth of artefacts are set to stay in Wyre Forest despite a closure threat hanging over Bewdley Museum.

The museum store, whose picture collection is worth more than £1 million, is situated at Rushock Trading Estate, which has been put up for sale by Wyre Forest District Council.

But the store, which contains 30,000 objects and about 35,000 photographic prints, will be leased to the council for £1 per annum for five years, and re-negotiated thereafter.

Meanwhile, a working group set up to secure the under-threat museum has urged the authority to stump up cash for its future. museum officer Carol Bowsher with some of the artefacts at the Bewdley Museum store.

Councillors are due to discuss a stakeholders group's findings at a meeting tonight.

The group has submitted a five year plan which it claims would provide an improved service.

It includes free admission, which has increased attendances at other museums by 100 per cent, and opening during school holidays.

The group would aim to attract funding but stressed the museum cannot continue to operate without a grant from the council.

Council cultural, leisure and commercial services portfolio holder Ken Stokes has recommended the authority fund the museum and its store another year so further options can be considered.

The matter will be discussed at tonight's executive meeting.

The museum's future was thrown into doubt last February when the previous administration revealed it needed to make £3 million budget savings over two years.