AN ONLINE poll which could help secure a £100,000 prize for the Wedgwood Museum has closed early following suspected irregularities in the voting process.

The Barlaston museum, which documents the pottery firm's 250-year history, was short-listed for the Art Fund Prize in May.

The fund is awarded to the museum or gallery which demonstrates the most originality, imagination and excellence.

The Wedgwood Museum was short-listed with three other candidates: Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum; Orleans House Gallery, in Twickenham; and Denbighshire's Ruthin Craft Centre: The Centre for the Applied Arts.

The overall winner will be announced on Thursday with the public poll counting as one vote at the judges' meeting.

The poll was due to close at midnight last night, but a statement on the website said: "We regret that we have reason to believe that irregularities in the voting process have affected the results of this poll, so we have reluctantly closed it early."

At the time it closed, the website showed Wedgwood had 43.8 per cent of the vote with the Glasgow entry next on 41.6 per cent.

The Wedgwood Museum contains 6,000 objects from the firm's history.