'City's pottery industry could die with us'

Paula Dale worked at Moorcroft Pottery for 27 years

Former workers at a collapsed pottery firm have said the industry could die with them as they met for the first time since losing their jobs.

Moorcroft Pottery in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, recently announced it had gone into liquidation, with its 57 employees all made redundant.

It was the third ceramics company to shut since the start of the year, sparking further concerns over the future of an industry beset by rising costs, largely caused by increased energy prices.

Paula Dale, who worked at Moorcroft for 27 years, was one of the former employees at the meeting held at the GMB union's office in Stoke-on-Trent on Wednesday.

She told BBC Radio Stoke she "could not believe it" when the announcement was made and that the news came as a shock.

"I never wanted it to end, I never wanted to work anywhere else… I'm nearly 59 and I never thought I'd have to get another job at my age after being there for so long," she said.

"The industry will die with us and none of us want that."

Claire Spate said she "never felt a loss like that" in her life

Former worker Claire Spate said she had never "felt a loss like that" in her life.

"I don't think I'm ready to get another job yet. In my head, I'm not ready. My heart's still with Moorcroft," she said.

The firm's announcement came about a month after it warned of possible redundancies, citing rising costs and falling sales.

Other ceramics companies to have collapsed include Royal Stafford, which also put its struggles down to rising energy costs and a decrease in product orders.

The meeting was attended by MP David Williams and city council leader Jane Ashworth

Earlier on Wednesday, the government met with Stoke-on-Trent's three MPs and unions to see if they could agree a deal to help with spiralling energy prices.

Stoke-on-Trent North MP David Williams said he was "absolutely gutted" about Moorcroft's collapse, adding: "Enough is enough."

He said: "We cannot allow the skills and talent to be lost from our city, we've got to fight for it…now is the time for the government to act."

Mr Williams said ideas had been put forward to ministers, adding that the government's spending review in June would be "critical".

"It [the industry] is in our DNA as a city, it made us who we are. We are going to keep fighting and we're going to do all we can to get an outcome as quickly as we can," he added.