STAFF and supporters of The Priest's House Museum and Garden in Wimborne are launching an appeal to raise support and funds towards their planned £1.5million extension.

A new open learning centre adjoining the rear of the museum will replace prefabricated buildings that are now inadequate.

The extension will include a learning centre with space big enough to be used as a 60-seater auditorium for visiting school children and by the wider community.

The new building will also include modern storage that can be temperature controlled to properly conserve artefacts, office space, a new library, disabled access, a new tea room and lavatories.

Staff and supporters have already found £500,000 of funding and an application has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund. If that bid is successful, they still need to raise half a million pounds.

Supporters are holding a launch event on July 12 between 10am and 4pm and ask people to buy a brick or tile to help fund the project.

People will also be asked to "make their mark" in a book of support, and this will be presented to the Heritage Lottery Fund to show there is local support for the project, and then placed in the museum's archives.

The finer details of the planning application for the extension plan are currently being worked on between museum staff and East Dorset District Council for the planning application.

Curator Emma Ayling said: "We are revising the design but we need to push ahead with the fundraising appeal.

"The Heritage Lottery Fund want us to have a substantial amount raised.

"We need to demonstrate we have started fundraising.

"We have written off to lots of charities. The more money we can raise, the better."

Admission to the museum is free on July 12.

The book of support will be available for the public to sign at the museum until September 1.