Wentworth Castle is to receive bailouts of up to £1.5m from the council to prop up its finances after council leaders admitted it couldn't be allowed to fail.

It comes despite a boost in visitor numbers as the attraction continues to run at a loss.

Leader of the council Steve Houghton said: "We are continuing to support Wentworth Castle, not just because it's 'nice' and because it's an important part of the borough's heritage, which it is.

"But it's also because it would cost us more if we didn't." If the trust were to fail, the council would be immediately hit with a £600,000 bill as pension guarantor.

The Wentworth Castle and Stainborough Park Heritage Trust is taking a loan of £400,000 and an additional up to £400,000 in 'temporary cash advances' to be repaid by 2014 to cover any gaps if works have to be paid for before grant money is released.

Claire Herring, director of the trust, told the Chronicle she was keen to see the trust achieve financial independence 'within five years'.

She said: "The support of the council is absolutely vital to us, not just the financial support, but also the technical advice and support.

"What everybody wants is for us to become a fully independent, self-financing trust, that can deliver these major restoration projects, while trading as a visitor attraction.

"This is very challenging, particularly in this economic market. But we will gradually improve our own sustainability, to work towards becoming self-financing by 2017."

• More detail in this week's Chronicle.