A museum has been given a cash handout to help build a millennium gallery.

The historic Marlipins Museum, in High Street, Shoreham, has been awarded £30,000 by Adur District Council to help pay for a new £340,000 two-storey gallery.

The Marlipins has already secured £255,000 in lottery funding, £20,000 from Sussex Archeological Society and £36,000 from landfill tax credits towards the gallery. Now the cash from Adur District Council has pushed the museum up to its target.

The gallery will be based on the existing annex, which was built in 1935. Work is due to start next year.

Although details have yet to be finalised, bosses say it will also act as a visitor and community centre for Shoreham residents.

John Manley, chief executive officer of the Sussex Archeological Society, said: "We are delighted and grateful that such commitment has been shown by Adur District Council to the future of Marlipins Museum.

"The cash from Adur District Council was really the last piece to fit the jigsaw in terms of funding. We were not able to sign a Heritage Lottery Fund contract without it, so we are delighted.

"It will give a real shot in the arm to the museum not only in terms of space but also as a quasi-community centre where people can come in and have coffee mornings or Christmas fairs."

A lead consultant-architect to oversee the development is to be appointed within the next four weeks.