The £400,000 extension of Wallingford Museum in Oxfordshire has been delayed due to a lack of funding.

Work on the project - which involves building a two-storey, medieval-style timber-framed building in the museum’s back yard - was supposed to be completed this summer, but now won’t start until next year.

The museum’s chair, Steve Capel-Davies, said: "We all knew it was a very tight timetable from the granting of the planning permission and we have done our utmost to reach the required funding target in time. Even in this difficult economic climate, we’ve had fantastic support from local people and businesses, helping us to raise £50,000 from local sources alone.

“We are currently pursuing a number of grant applications but their decision dates mean that, sadly, we won’t be able to build the timber frame this summer, as previously hoped. We are still confident, however, that this exciting project will happen, albeit next year and we shall be continuing our programme of fund-raising to ensure its success."

Meanwhile, the man overseeing the project, Norman Guiver, of The Carpenters Fellowship, has withdrawn from the project. According to officials, Guiver was unhappy that the new annex would belong to the museum and not to the public.

A statement on the museum’s website read: “We explained that someone had to be responsible for the management, maintenance and insurance of the new building and there were two choices - the museum or the town council. The latter was not happy about taking on the additional costs involved and preferred the building to belong to the museum. The museum was happy to take on the responsibility and the town council has ratified that situation.

“The board of directors very much regrets Mr Guiver’s decision, especially after he has invested so much effort in the project. They thank him for the work he has done, but will now be seeking to engage a new project manager to ensure the building will be constructed as planned.”