Delay over gallery at museum

The start of work to extend a museum in Hednesford by creating a new gallery and information centre has been delayed.

Work was due to begin in the spring but has been put off and must now wait until after the summer.

Bosses have stressed the scheme at the Museum of Cannock Chase is still on track to be finished by March next year.

Initial work to create an extension at the front of the mining museum in Valley Road, which would house a gallery, was due to take place in the first few months of this year and was likely to be finished by May 4.

The gallery would then have been installed and the information centre built between early September and mid-November.

But the initial work will not now be carried out until later this year.

Tom Hobbins, spokesman for Cannock Chase District Council, said: "The renovation work at the museum is still scheduled for completion in March 2008. However, the actual building work of the extension is now likely to take place in the autumn rather than the spring following negotiations with the contractor."

He added: "Building cannot take place during the summer months due to the museum's commitments to the schools programme."

The museum will be partially closed to visitors.