BUCKETS in the upstairs corridors could soon be a thing of the past at one of the region's top museums as staff prepare to launch a £300,000 emergency appeal.

Repairs to the central section of the roof at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle look set to cost a hefty £1.6m, but staff are confident that £1.3m will come through grants, with bids already submitted.

They are hoping that the shortfall can be met through a public appeal, as happened when they secured the famous Canaletto paintings in the 1980s.

Director Adrian Jenkins said: "The roof is the first of a series of projects over the next few years to bring the museum into first class condition. We then plan to open up new gallery space and release storage space on the ground floor as part of a wider appeal to revitalise the Bowes for the 21st century."

Fundraising and sponsorship officer, Kate Le Sueur, in post since September, has found herself in at the deep end to get the appeal rolling in the near future. Her main purpose is to generate income for the restoration, along with conservation projects, acquisitions and the exhibitions programme.

But, purely because of the state of the roof, the museum is now on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk list.

"We have known the roof needed attention for some time, we have buckets all over the upstairs floors to catch the leaks, but it's fair to say that we are now reaching crisis point," said Miss Le Sueur. "A condition report from specialists described the repairs as an emergency. And such a wet summer hasn't helped.

"We hope to begin work next summer and have it finished before the winter of 2005 sets in," she added. "But the idea of going public is to make people who might offer help aware of the problem."

The cost is put down in part to the complicated structure of the roof, for which there are no exact plans, as it was designed by a French architect and interpreted by English builders. Some of the original Westmorland slate is recoverable but more will have to be purchased and will have to match.

Once the appeal gets underway Miss Le Sueur is hoping to engage the interest of residents, visitors and local schoolchildren. She will begin by distributing leaflets explaining what the appeal is all about to the 9,000 people on the mailing and Friends' lists. Donations will also be able to be made on-line.

The planned works will be the first major restoration of the roof since the museum opened to the public in 1892.