AN exhibition of precious and exotic objects at the Ashmolean Museum has received a further £85,000 cash boost.

The museum had asked for funding from the Arts Council of England to develop a dedicated gallery for the Wellby Bequest.

The collection of 500 pieces of silver and gold plated objects and Victorian oddities was given to the museum by Michael Wellby when he died in 2012.

It was provided with a £100,000 grant in February as well, partly funded by central government.

It will now receive £53,905 for 2014 and 2015 and a further £31,125 for 2015 and 2016.

Two of the county’s other top museums also received funding from the Arts Council England.

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History received £67,774 for 2014 to 2016 and Banbury Museum was given a one-off sum of £35,870.