A TOTAL of 52,406 people visited a city museum to see Britain's biggest haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure.

The news came as the 23-day Staffordshire Hoard exhibition at Hanley's Potteries Museum and Art Gallery drew to a close at 7pm yesterday.

The Art Fund now has until April 17 to raise the £3.3 million needed to buy the treasure, which was discovered in a field in Lichfield last July.

More than £145,000 of that figure had been raised by the end of yesterday in Stoke-on-Trent alone, with £118,000 coming from charity Friends of the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.

Museum manager Keith Bloor, below

, said staff hoped to launch a smaller exhibition of the Hoard in the next few weeks after splitting the treasure with Birmingham.

The museum was due to learn this morning if it had received approval.

Mr Bloor said: "The idea is that we split the Hoard up 50-50 with Birmingham.

"The pieces would be placed in the archaeology gallery, which would be redeveloped to tell the story of the Hoard.

"This exhibition would also help with the fund-raising and give Birmingham the opportunity to raise money."

An earlier 20-day exhibition of the Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham raised £40,000.

But Mr Bloor said there was a long way to go to reach the total.

He added: "Over half-term, more than 40 per cent of our visitors were under 16. After, we had more of an older audience."

And about 29 per cent of the visitors had not been to the museum before.

Mr Bloor said: "Visitors have been thrilled by what they have seen. A lot of people say the treasure is smaller than what they had perceived.

"They have been astounded by the amount of detail that went into the pieces."

Museum staff logged where the visitors came from, and they included Canadians and Swedish journalists.

Lisa Street was among the final people to see the Hoard yesterday.

The 40-year-old, of Oak Mount Road, Werrington, was with her five-year-old son Joseph.

She said: "We came on Thursday after school but were too late.

"Joseph had told all his school mates he was coming to see it and was very excited, so we came back.

"I'm glad the fund-raising has gone so well. The Hoard is exactly what the area needs as it will bring people from all over the country into Stoke-on-Trent."

David Beardmore, aged 43, of Mossfield Drive, Biddulph, was also seeing the Hoard for the first time.

He said: "I'm very interested in history and fascinated by the Hoard. It should stay in the area."

Residents can find out more about the discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard during a talk at Newcastle Library.

Ian Wykes, cultural environment group leader from Staffordshire County Council, will discuss the discovery during the event at 7.30pm on March 15.

Tickets cost £4 and for more information call 01782 297300 or email newcastle.library@staffordshire.gov.uk.

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