TV antiques experts raised a glass to toast the achievements of volunteers who after a hard fought battle managed to open a brand new glass museum for the borough's prized treasures.

Antiques Roadshow stars Andy McConnell and Eric Knowles stopped off at the new 'White House Cone - Museum of Glass' in Wordsley for an evening of bonhomie and banter on October 14.

The TV pair both added their weight to a campaign to preserve the borough's glass collection when Dudley Council chiefs first revealed plans to close the museum's predecessor - Broadfield House Glass Museum in Kingswinford back in 2009 - at a time when dreams of building a brand new museum to house the area's glass treasures seemed light years away.

But dedicated glass fans, who teamed up to form the British Glass Foundation, earlier this year saw that dream turn to reality when they opened the doors on the now almost complete 'White House Cone - Museum of Glass'.

Glass collector Mr McConnell said after taking his first look around the new £5.5m facility: "When we had those meetings in 2009 the idea that by 2016 there would be a building up - I just thought was completely pie in the sky.

"But through very clear negotiation and a lot of good will they've managed it..

"I think it's a miracle that it's there and I'm absolutely chuffed."

The museum, built by Complex Development Projects as part of a decade-long scheme to breathe new life into the old Stuart Crystal factory site in Camp Hill, has already hosted its first exhibition - The Heat is On!

But there is still much work to do before it can accommodate the famous glass pieces previously displayed at Broadfield House which are currently in storage.

The BGF was awarded £142,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund in October 2015 to put together its vision for the attraction - with a further £780,000 promised, once development plans are complete, to fund the interior fit out of the building.

Graham Fisher, of the BGF, said the Six of the Best event, which saw Mr McConnell and Mr Knowles talking about their favourite pieces of glass, went down a treat with supporters and culminated with the auction of a glass vase by Richard Golding which raised £1,000 to be split between the British Glass Foundation and the Glass Association which held its annual general meeting there.

Meanwhile, the first-ever piece of glass to be made at the new museum - a large eye-catching bowl created by renowned resident glassmaker Allister Malcolm - was sold at Fieldings Auctioneers in Stourbridge on October 22 for £300 which will go to the BGF.

The next event at the new museum, which is not expected to open fully until mid to late 2017, will be a Christmas bauble decorating workshop with Allister Malcolm running from 10am to 4pm on November 26 and 27 as part of a craft fair at the Red House and White House Cone sites.

For more information email info@allistermalcolm.com