No charge for smashed vase man

Conservator Penny Bendall restoring one of the vases

The man arrested after he tripped and smashed three 17th Century Qing dynasty porcelain vases at a Cambridge museum will not face any criminal charges.

Nick Flynn, 42, from Fowlmere, said he had tripped over his shoelace and crashed into the vases at The Fitzwilliam Museum in January.

He was arrested and given police bail in April on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

On Tuesday, Cambs Police said Mr Flynn would not face any charges.

A police spokesman said the decision had been made following consultations between police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Hundreds of pieces

After the vases were broken, Mr Flynn said: "I can say with my hand on my heart that it was not deliberate."

The vases are currently being restored after they were left lying in hundreds of pieces.

The initial clear-up operation took two-and-a-half days.

The first of the three vases to be restored should be back on display by the end of this month.

The work has involved taping all the pieces together and then binding them with a special adhesive before the final polish and enamels are put back on.

The three vases are part of a set of five with an estimated value of between £200,000 and £300,000.