Jane Austen ring to stay in UK

The BBC also reports that the loss of one of Jane Austen's few pieces of jewellery has been thwarted.

US singer Kelly Clarkson has been thwarted in her bid to take a ring which once belonged to Jane Austen out of the UK.

She bought the turquoise and gold ring for £152,450 at auction last year, outbidding the Jane Austen's House Museum.

Culture minister Ed Vaizey put an export bar on it until 30 September.

After worldwide donations the museum has since raised enough money to buy the ring and its bid has been accepted.

Contributions to the Bring the Ring Home campaign, set up by the museum in Jane Austen's former home, included an anonymous donation of £100,000 in August.

The museum, in Chawton, Hampshire, was given until December to raise a further £49,000.

Mary Guyatt, curator of the museum, said it had been "stunned by the generosity and light-footedness" of those who had supported the bid.

Mr Vaizey added: "It's clear from the number of people who gave generously to the campaign just how admired Jane Austen remains to this day."