Extra funding worth millions of pounds could be pumped into Colchester to make it part of a "regional hub" of cultural excellence.

It could mean more jobs, more liaison with schools and more people using the borough's museums and galleries.

A report for Government recommends more than £250m be dished out among the country's largest museums services in a bid to spark a cultural "renaissance" at the regional level.

Colchester, as one of the eastern region's biggest museums services, is a firm favourite to pluck a share of the multi-million pound kitty and take a leading culture role within Essex.

Resource, a Government task force, has drawn up the five-year plan and has called on the Government to pump £267.2m over five years to revitalise England's regional museums.

If the Government backs the proposals, extra money could start flooding in some time next year.

Peter Berridge, Colchester museums' general manager, said: "We would certainly figure in that hub. Colchester will be critical. We are the third largest museum service in the east, alongside Cambridge and Norwich.

"It is potentially a very positive thing for us and also for Essex."

The report forecasts that visits to leading regional museums could double, reaching 100,000 per year each.

By Laurence Cawley

Reporter's e-mail: laurence_cawley@thisisessex.co.uk

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