A 19th-century needlework of the Menai Bridge by a schoolgirl is at risk of leaving the UK.

The artwork, stitched by 11-year-old Mary Anne Hughes, has been valued at more than £14,000.

The needlework is of the Menai Bridge, designed by the famous engineer Thomas Telford.

The Menai Bridge, which opened in 1826, linked Anglesey to mainland Wales and became the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time.

The bridge's opening significantly reduced travel time to Holyhead, boosting tourism and benefiting industries in the area.

The needlework, stitched by Mary in the 1800s, marks this historic event.

The intricate sampler shows the bridge and boats crossing the Menai Strait. 

Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: "The opening of the Menai suspension bridge was a true feat of British engineering, which has had long-lasting benefits to local heritage as well as boosting tourism and the North Wales economy.

"Mary’s wonderful needlework reflects the importance of the bridge and is a telling reminder that every child if given the right access to the arts, can contribute to the world around them.

"I hope a UK buyer can be found so this artwork can be used to inspire children to embrace their creativity and love their local area."

The needlework is considered a valuable piece of social history, giving insight into early 19th-century working-class education and female achievement.

Committee member Mark Hallett said: "Mary Anne Hughes’s needlework picture of Menai Bridge in Anglesey, stitched when she was just 11 years old, is not only a testament to her individual skill and prodigious powers of concentration.

"It is also a window into the world of early 19th-century working-class education and female accomplishment in Britain, giving us a glimpse of a culture that has been largely lost to us, and for which there are far too few traces.

"This rare, modest treasure is of enduring interest and value, and thoroughly deserves to be saved for the nation."

The RCEWA Committee recognised the needlework's significant connection to British history and its importance in studying social history in the region.

The needlework has been placed under an export bar to allow a UK gallery or institution to acquire it.

The decision on the export licence application will be deferred until January 7, 2025.

If a buyer wishes to purchase the sampler at the recommended price of £14,564, they will be given a 15-day consideration period at the end of the deferral period.