War memorial for pottery workers to be replaced

A groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of work on the war memorial

Work to replace a memorial paying tribute to pottery workers who fought in both world wars has begun – 20 years after the original went missing.

The plaque outside the Royal Doulton pottery in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, was believed to have been stolen shortly after the factory closed in 2005.

The site has since been redeveloped into more than 200 homes, with developer St Modwen promising to replace the memorial.

It will be built at the Nile Street housing estate, and will commemorate the former workers who fought in the wars and allied soldiers across the world.

Work began on VE Day. Mike Lightfoot, who was an employee at Royal Doulton for two decades, told BBC Radio Stoke it meant a lot to him.

"I worked with veterans on this site. I saw some of the lads with physical scars, and a lot with mental scars that we didn't recognise that day," he said.

"It's in recognition, not just to the fallen, but the veterans who came back and carried on working."

The former Royal Doulton site in Burslem has been turned into a housing estate

The names of the workers who died in World War One and World War Two will be listed on the memorial.

Mr Lightfoot, who helped to organise the project, said he was keen to get in touch with families of the Burslem veterans to get further details about their service during the wars.

The memorial is due to be completed before an unveiling ceremony takes place on 14 August.