CENTURIES old treasures from Blackburn Museum could be unveiled to a worldwide audience thanks to the British Library.

The Blackburn' Psalter, a 13th century illuminated manuscript, featuring key Biblical scenes, is one of the priceless artefacts which could be digitised and displayed for people to view online as part of a nationwide competition.

Written in Latin on vellum - a thin, smooth parchment made from animal hide - the 12-page treasure is part of the famed Hart Collection at the town's museum, and illustrates the Nativity, Crucifixion, the Stages of the Cross and rare mentions of Saints Ivo and Osyth.

The other selection, the Ars Moriendi, or Art of Dying' is another bound manuscript dating back to the 15th century. Illustrated by Peter van Os. It depicts horrifying scenes of death and destruction, mainly of the plague, which swept across Europe from the 14th century onwards.

Vanessa Mitchell, keeper of art at the museum said: "The Blackburn' Psalter is the best example of an illuminated manuscript in the collection and amongst some of the best in the country. The Ars Moriendi was chosen because it is a wonderful example of early printed books with almost cartoon-type depictions with its images of saints and sinners."

Coun Micheal Law-Riding, Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive member for culture, said: "Both treasures are an invaluable resource for schoolchildren and pupils taking religious studies.

"Being able to display the book on a classroom whiteboard would be an ideal way of exploring the idea of sacred texts and what makes them special to a faith community.

"It also means that they could be accessed by millions of users from across the globe."

The British Library, in association with the Society of Chief Librarians and Microsoft, will spend £10,000 putting each manuscript on the internet for three years Vanessa Mitchell added: "The winning pieces will be scanned using sophisticated software from the British museum, and to do this would cost £10,000.

"The scans would be 3D and interactive meaning that people people could go on a website and zoom in and turn pages as if it was there in front of them. "

Only four artefacts can be chosen and judges have reduced an initial long-list of 80 down to just 10 prime candidates for the whole of England. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on September 4.

The two Blackburn entries are the only northern artefacts under consideration for the distinction - the rest are mainly situated in museums or libraries in the Home Counties and London.

Both books are currently on display in the museum's Hart Gallery. The museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10am to 4.45pm.

To see a sample of what the artefacts would look like online, visit http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.html.