The opening hours of a community museum could be cut unless cash is found to fill a £75,000 black hole.

Wantage's award-winning Vale and Downland Museum, in Church Street - which had almost 49,000 visitors last year - needs more funding to keep its doors open six days a week.

The 50-year-old museum, staffed mainly by volunteers, was forced to cut its annual budget to around £100,000 last year - £75,000 less than it needs to comfortably run on.

It has already cut its paid staff by almost half, and has been looking to make savings wherever possible.

Administrator Tony Hadland said: "This year we have had to cut right back.

"It's unlikely that we would ever close, but we do need as much financial support as possible.

"We are looking for funding from any direction, for example parish councils, philanthropists, company sponsorship or sustained support.

"We have a fantastic museum here and we need more funding to keep it going.

"If we don't get funding, it would be a case of cutting back on services first, perhaps restricting our opening hours and holding fewer exhibitions.

"We would start stripping back on those things first, so it would be pruning rather than a catastrophic closure.

"But there's only so much we can cut back."

Last year the museum attracted almost 49,000 visitors.

It also hosted 10 family-friendly themed events and was visited by 21 schools and 115 community groups.

The museum and cafe also acts as an informal meeting point for groups of friends. Gillian Taylor, secretary of the Wantage Country Market, said: "It's a very important facility.

"We have been using the cafe and bar every week since it opened and we have our market there every Friday morning.

"We are quite concerned about it because there is nowhere else we would be able to go."

Bob McLatchie, leader of the Wantage Health Walks which start and finish at the museum cafe every Thursday morning, added: "It's more than a museum, it's like a community drop-in centre.

"That's one big advantage compared to other museums around the county.

"There is a lot more socialising, it's a community hub."

Mr Hadland said rising operating costs and the lack of profit from hiring out the trust's Lains Barn venue in Ardington were the biggest problems.

The barn, which the museum trust owns, is struggling to meet regulations needed to host events.