More than £500,000 of government funding has been signed off to carry out "vital" repair work on Bury Art Museum's building.

Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre will receive £589,545 from the Cultural Investment Fund to repair and renew rooflights, guttering and rainwater pipes, as well as internal repairs to plasterwork.

The works will enable reopening of some currently closed gallery spaces.

Work is scheduled to start in the autumn. In order to keep the museum open, it will be phased so that only areas of the building directly affected by the work will be closed off to the public.

Last month, it was announced that “urgent repairs” were needed on the Grade II listed building which is is under threat from "physical fabric loss" caused by numerous failings in the roof allowing rainwater to enter the spaces below.

Cllr Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for culture and the economy, said: “This is excellent news.

“Bury Art Museum is one of our most iconic buildings and has been at the heart of our cultural life for more than a century.

“These works will enable us to carry out vital repair work so that our residents and visitors can continue to appreciate the many wonderful works of art we have, as well as attend the many events and activities the building also hosts.

“Making these repairs will also enable us to develop our commercialisation plans which will make the organisation more sustainable, both financially and environmentally.”

Bury Art Museum opened in 1901 and was purpose-built to display the Wrigley Collection of Victorian art gifted to the people of Bury; a condition of the gift was that a gallery was built to house it.

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The building is situated in Bury’s conservation zone and houses the borough’s treasures.

The Wrigley Collection contains work of influential British painters (early 1800s) including works by JMW Turner, John Constable, Sir Edwin Landseer and Sir George Clausen. The collection is of international significance.

Bury North MP James Daly said: “This is more than just a building, this is a part of our town’s history and our identity.

"I am pleased to see the government recognising this by providing funding which will allow essential work to be completed and secure the building for future generations.”