SEVERE flooding has failed to deter a group of quilters from visiting an exhibition at one of the region's most impressive museums.

The quilters vowed to visit the exhibition at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, tomorrow, despite difficult travelling conditions caused by the floods.

Some will even travel from London just to see some of the items on display at the acclaimed North Country Quilts exhibition.

The group found about the exhibition through the Internet and an e-mail list for people interested in quilting.

After contacting each other through the British Quilters e-mail list, the enthusiasts decided to visit the museum and its exhibition on the same day.

It is the second visit by a group from the British Quilters' List, and earlier this year quilt-lovers from as far away as America and South Africa came to see the display.

The exhibition, which was launched by international textile artist Kaffe Fassett in August, holds more than 85 quilts from around the world, many of which date back to the 18th Century.

It has been organised by textile experts Dorothy Osler, who is guest curator of the Bowes Museum, and Joanna Hashigan, who is costumes and textiles officer at the museum.

Dr Anne Allen, marketing officer for the museum, said: "It's wonderful to think that they will battle against atrocious flooding just to come and see the exhibition."