A NEW director at the Bowes museum in Barnard Castle has been appointed to succeed Mrs Elizabeth Conran, who retires in the new year.

Mr Adrian Jenkins joins the Bowes from Bolton museum and art gallery where he is senior keeper of fine and applied art. He moved to that position from the Laing art gallery in Newcastle where he was assistant keeper of art.

Mr Jenkins is used to leading high profile projects in the public eye. Two years ago he led a campaign to raise £1.5m in six months to save a nationally important painting from being exported to the United States. He is aged 35 and has a master's degree in art history from the Barber institute of fine art in Birmingham. He is about to complete a master's in business administration.

Mrs Conran will be retained as senior consultant in the preparation of a major exhibition, Hidden Treasures of the Bowes Museum, in April.

The arrival of the new director completes the first major phase of the trustees' plans to strengthen the senior management team.