Cannon balls and firemen's uniforms from the 1900s were among the treasure trove of items left to the town by resident Renee Cardall, who died in July aged 83.

They cover an entire floor of her house - Beech Loft - which may soon be sold by her family.

The Friends of the Cardall Collection, set up to maintain and promote the legacy, is hoping the town council or businesses in the area will pay the rent on a building they want to use as a musuem.

Otherwise the collection could be split up after Christmas.

Speaking at Thursday’s town council meeting, ‘friend’ Jenny Frith said: “We have found some business premises in Southam with lots of small rooms which would be ideal for us to be able to store, work-on and exhibit the collection.

“The rent is around £10,500 a year and we only have a very small amount of money so can’t take it - we are stuck in this awful narrowing gap.

“If we don’t find anywhere to put it by Christmas the collection will be dispersed or sold off - the whole collection is so important to Southam we need to keep it all together.

“We need the money committed now. We will also be asking businesses for help. I very much doubt we will find anything else as good as this and it has taken a long time to find.”

Mrs Cardall was the wife of one of Southam's best-known citizens, Jack, who was a keen collector and promoter of everything associated with the history of the town and surrounding area.

After her husband's death in 1976, she continued to extend and look after the collection.

Warwickshire County Council plans to redevelop the town library in a few years and has told the Friends it will make room for the collection in the new building.

But until then, an alternative location is urgently required for artefacts - some of which have been exhibited at the library and used to help educate schoolchildren this year.

Deputy mayor Jim Taylor said the council would send the group a grant application form.

The Rev Wayne Hawkins (Merestone, Ind) added: “We shouldn’t mis-lead them into thinking we can give them a £10,500 grant, maybe the £500 - we just havn’t got the resources.”

To help the Friends call Bernard Cadogan on 613503.