The National Trust is asking for public donations as it tries to raise the �20m needed to buy Tyntesfield House near Bristol.

The Victorian mansion is being auctioned in June and has also attracted interest from Madonna and Kylie Minogue.

More than 12,000 appeal leaflets have been sent to people who live near Tyntesfield, and businesses in Bristol are being urged to pledge financial support.

It is also hoped that funds can be raised from public bodies including the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund to secure the long-term future of Tyntesfield.

The house has retained many original features

But heritage grants cannot be awarded for 100% of the money needed so the National Trust must raise money itself to 'unlock' any grants it may be offered.

It has set itself an initial target of at least �1m for the fundraising campaign and has already received nearly 4,000 donations totalling �190,000.

The campaign to open Tyntesfield to the public has also won support from Adam Hart-Davis, presenter of the BBC history programme, 'What did the Victorians do for us?'.

Mr Hart-Davis said: "The Victorians were great entrepreneurs and innovators and there is no better testimony to this than Tyntesfield.

"I live in Bristol and it would be brilliant to have this terrific place on our doorstep and open to everyone."

Current estimates suggest that more than �20m is needed to purchase the house, its contents and core estate by the middle of June, with a further �10m needed to secure its long-term future.

Tyntesfield is regarded as important for its High Victorian architecture and as a remarkable social document of the Victorian era.