The long-term future of more than 30 staff appeared to be in doubt after the centre was refused funding by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council to upgrade its Merlin telescope.

"We were told that the council, which usually funds such projects, did not have enough money to fund this one because it has bought into a European project," said Dr Ian Morison.

But bosses at Jodrell Bank, which attracts 140,000 tourists a year, are now looking to outside sources to raise the £9 million.

"We are hopeful that we can find the money from other sources," said Dr Morison. "We just don't know when we'll have the funds and important meetings are on-going."

The upgrade will involve linking Merlin's seven radio telescopes stretching from the Welsh borders to Cambridge.

And with new microwave radio lines the network would be 30 times more sensitive, allowing scientists to study in detail objects which are further out in space.