Leyland's historic motor museum could be forced to move out of town due to a cash crisis.

Bosses at The British Commercial Vehicle Museum, King Street, said it had been struggling financially for some years and options were being considered to secure its long-term future.

Alternative sites in Preston and Blackpool have already been ruled out, including a possible partnership with the Ribble Steam Railway at Preston Docks.

The museum, which is synonymous with the town's motor trade history, has the funds to open four days a week from April to September and on bank holidays.

Andrew Buchan, general manager, said: "It costs too much money for us to stay open in winter. We have had to go into our reserves to keep the place going and to keep the museum in Leyland, but the collection is the most important thing."

The museum, which opened in 1986, is dedicated to preserving the history of the UK's road transport industry.

It contains more than 60 exhibits, some dating back 100 years. Items include a Leyland RAF Type, a Morris T, a Leyland TX 450 and the pope mobile used by the late Pope John Paul in his visit to the UK in 1982.

Mr Buchan said one of the main problems is that Leyland is not on the tourist trail and didn't attract many people from outside the town.

"I know that people in the town would be upset to see it go," he said. "But if it means moving out of Leyland to keep the collection, then we have to look at that seriously."

But Peter Houghton, chairman of Leyland Historical Society, believes museum bosses fail to help themselves.

"Locals only go once," he said. "It needs to be publicised more so more people can visit it and it doesn't open both days on a weekend which is when most people will be able to visit."

Mr Buchan also blamed the loss of a £12,500 grant from South Ribble Borough Council.

Councillor Howard Gore, leader of South Ribble Borough Council, said: "In 2002 the council was required to make savings to satisfy a gap in its budget. We looked at several options that together could generate the efficiencies the council needed to balance its books and a number of measures were taken. One such measure was to reduce the grants to outside bodies."

He said the council had promoted the museum in the past and had offered to work with its staff to maximise publicity opportunities in the future.

The news has come as a huge disappointment to members of Leyland Model Railway Club.

Club member Don Smith said: "When it first opened it was really all Leyland-built trucks and a lot of them are still there. It would be such a shame to lose this in Leyland."

It comes a week after the Citizen revealed the Leyland Motors Social and Athletic Club could be forced to sell off its historic club house, next to the museum, due to huge debts.