A museum has been given £29,400 to bring a touring exhibition of Indian textiles to the North-East for the first time.

The grant, from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will allow Durham's Oriental Museum to display the Kanchan Malde Collection.

It will be exhibited at the museum, in Elvet Hill, in January, under the title Mirror, Bead and Thread.

The collection features young girls' costumes, wedding gifts, camel herders' equipment, animal saddle trappings and interior furnishings.

Owner Kanchan Malde put together the collection as she was concerned that some traditional artefacts were fast disappearing from use in everyday life in north-west India.

She said:"The collection came as a result of my alarm at the vanishing traditions of folk embroidery in the Gujarat region.

"My mother was an accomplished embroiderer and instilled in me a passion for handicrafts and traditional artforms."

Accompanying the exhibition will be a series of workshops for schools and community groups.

The museum is also looking for people of south Asian origin to identify and interpret its existing Indian textiles and painting collections.

Museum curator Lindy Brewster said: "They will help to lead workshops, create an online exhibition and textiles-teaching resource, as well as enhance existing gallery displays."

Anyone interested in taking part should call Ms Brewster on 0191-334 5694.

Published: 18/09/2003