JOBS at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, are under threat following news that the museum is to close next year for building work.

Staff were warned they could face redundancy as a result of the decision to shut the museum from January, while the a £61m redevelopment is completed.

The Ashmolean had hoped to remain open throughout the extensive building work, which will not be completed until late next year.

The museum says the jobs of under 20 gallery staff are viewed as "at risk".

Staff have reacted angrily to the news, with some accusing the museum of breaking earlier pledges. The museum says it is confident some gallery staff may be offered alternative jobs within Oxford University, possibly in other museums.

The Ashmolean's head of human resources, Gillian Morris, said: "It is an extremely difficult time within the museum, which does not do this sort of thing lightly." Ms Morris said she was hopeful compulsory redundancies might be avoided.

One staff member said: "We have been promised from the start that the museum would not close and only recently we were told that our jobs were secure. Many of the curators are angry about the way things are going."

Christopher Brown, director of the Ashmolean, said that from next year builders would need increased access to the existing building to undertake major work, such as building a new front entrance.