PHOTOGRAPHS of Elgar and documents relating to the Worcestershire composer will soon be able to be viewed worldwide, thanks to a £20,000 grant given to the Elgar Birthplace Museum.

The Foundation for Sport and the Arts has given the Lower Broadheath-based museum the money to creation a digital archive of its collection. The major two-year project is expected to see a total of more than 30,000 digital images created from the museum's manuscripts, letters, scrap books and photographs relating to Elgar. It is expected to cost a total of £50,000, with the remaining funds coming from the museum's funds alongside private donations. The museum is working on the scheme in conjunction with Worcester photographer Neil Woolford and the Worcestershire Records Office based at County Hall.

At present, people who want to view the items have to come to the museum's research room, which was opened in 2000. Museum director Catherine Sloan said the project would mean people would now be able to have the images sent to them digitally, with a database link being put on their website featuring brief details of what each archive item is about.

She added that it would also allow the museum to better conserve the original documents and that it would run alongside its research room rather than replacing it.

Mrs Sloan said the idea came about due to the increased interest in Elgar and his work in recent years.

Since the museum opened its research room, it has been inundated by researchers, with as many as 70 coming for a year and some staying for longer than a day to carry out their studies.

She added: "We're thrilled the foundation is supporting us. This project will enhance the public knowledge, recognition and understanding of the collections here and their understanding of Elgar and his music. The museum is basically responding to the public need - this is what we find that they want and therefore we must give it to them."