IF the world won't come to Blackburn then Blackburn will go to the world.

That is the reckoning behind Blackburn Museum's latest proposed loan of three works of art for an exhibition entitled Art Treasures of England - The Regional Collection.

For the exhibition, to be held at the Royal Academy of Arts early next year, is to give millions of art-loving tourists a chance to see what they are missing at regional museums up and down the country.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's libraries and arts sub committee is set this week to approve the loan of The Silken Gown by Thomas Faed, Holywell near Newcastle by Myles Birket Foster, and The Falls of Terni by Joseph Turner.

Curator Maggie Simms said: "The majority of tourists go to London and one of the main reasons is to view the works of art on show. Sadly they miss what the rest of the country has to offer and this is an ideal opportunity for us. Hopefully it will have a knock on effect and when tourists return to this country they won't forget about Blackburn."

The museum is no stranger to lending out works of art and in the past year, paintings have winged their way to far flung corners of the world including America, Italy, Australia and Japan.

Mrs Simms added: "Blackburn is well-endowed with works of art and it is absolutely thrilling that other museums come back time and time again to borrow our work."

Turner's painting The Falls of Terni is widely acclaimed as the finest example of falling water before the camera was invented.

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