Smashed vase goes back on display

Restorers glued together 113 pieces

A 17th Century Chinese porcelain vase accidentally smashed when a museum visitor tripped on a shoelace is back on display after being restored.

The vase, from the Qing Dynasty, was broken in January when Nick Flynn crashed into it at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

Specialist ceramic restorer Penny Bendall glued together 113 pieces ahead of an exhibition about art restoration.

She also hopes to restore two similar vases broken in the same incident.

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

The restoration work has involved taping all the pieces together and then binding them with a special adhesive before a final polish and coating of enamel.

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