BURY'S Arts and Craft Centre could be expanded to house a multi-million pound war museum.

The project, though in its early stages, would not only ensure the survival of the Broad Street college, but bring to life Bury's long military heritage.

An alternative site is also being investigated at Daisyfield, where a purpose-built museum could be built at a cost of £4 million.

Colonel Brian Gorski, deputy colonel for Lancashire with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, revealed the heritage centre plans to a packed audience at a military concert.

Military museum advisors are now expected to visit the centre to see whether the building could house not only the entire contents of the existing Wellington Barracks Museum, but also artefacts chronicling Bury's role in 300 years of war.

Col Gorski, speaking exclusively to the Bury Times on Thursday (Sept 19) said: "Bury's connection with the Fusiliers started in the 1700s. The new museum project is ambitious but it will not just be about the history of the regiment. It is about bringing children in to learn about their town's history.

"In the First World War, Bury contributed 6,000 men. One street's male population was wiped out in the Gallipoli landings alone. And in the Second World War, the borough contributed 11 batallions, approximately 9,000 soldiers."

National Lottery and English Heritage funding will be sought to finance either the £1 million conversion of the arts and craft centre, or help towards the estimated £4 million purpose-built heritage centre on industrial land at the rear of Bury Grammar School.

Mr Mark Sanders, chief executive of Bury Council, believes the use of the centre as a new wartime heritage centre would help secure its future.

But he said: "If the building is unsuitable, we will concentrate our efforts on creating a purpose-built heritage centre at Bury's canal basin, off Bolton Road. We could create a transport system that would link up it up to the East Lancashire Railway and Bury."

But he added: "There is still a long way to go and we could face a large number of obstacles."