A MYSTERY man has given £10,000 to help a museum buy art treasures, with another £10,000 added to match his donation.

The £20,000 has been put into a collection fund so a quick bid can be made for any object that is wanted by officials at Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle.

The anonymous donor is an elderly member of the museum’s Friends, a group with more than 2,000 supporters, who have given it assistance in many ways over the years.

He stipulated that the group should add £10,000 from its funds, and that the £20,000 should only be used to buy items for display.

Friends secretary Fiona Turnbull said she hoped other members might send in donations to add to the fund.

Museum director Adrian Jenkins said it was the first time money had ever been put aside in that way to allow a quick bid to be placed on an object. He said: “Previously, if we heard of something we wanted being offered for sale, possibly at an auction, we had to chase round trying to find some money. Now we will have it available.”

Former curator Elizabeth Conran said: “We owe huge thanks to the person who gave the large sum.”

At the recent annual meeting of the Friends, president Harry Vane presented a gift token and flowers to Mrs Turnbull, who stepped down after four years as secretary.

Her place is being taken by Heather Scott, who has been a member of Darlington Borough Council for 33 years.

Mrs Scott, who lived in Barnard Castle as a child and became a bank clerk in the town, said: “I have always loved coming to the museum, so I am really pleased to be able to help it by becoming secretary.”

Local historian Parkin Raine was presented with a gift and certificate thanking him for his help in cataloguing photographs, many the work of Elijah Yeoman from a century ago.