3:46pm UK, Tuesday June 20, 2006

A man who was arrested for smashing three 17th Century Chinese porcelain vases will not be charged.

Nick Flynn, who tripped over his shoelaces, crashed into the vases at the Fitzwilliam museum in Cambridge in January.

180 better grab nick flynn smashed vases

Nick Flynn tripped over his shoelaces

In April he was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

A ceramic conservator is currently gluing together 400 pieces to recreate the three vases and the museum is hoping that one will be ready to go on display in July.

Valuations of the vases varied between hundreds of thousands of pounds and millions of pounds, although museum officials said it was difficult to be precise about their worth.

Mr Flynn, who is unemployed after suffering a servere back injury, says he tripped over his shoelaces, causing him to tumbl down the staircase and into the vases.

"I was completely dazed and confused. When I woke up I was astounded", he said.

"There were fragments everywhere and crowds of people looking on".

An official said that Mr Flynn had not been banned from the museum as a result of the accident.