Plans to save the Wedgwood Museum's artefacts discussed

Some of the museum's artefacts have been described as priceless

An MP is hoping money from businesses and lottery funds can be put together to make sure a ceramics museum does not have to sell its valuable artefacts.

Stoke-on-Trent MP Tristram Hunt is meeting arts minister Ed Vaizey to discuss the Wedgwood Museum's future.

The museum in Stoke-on-Trent was put in administration in March after the transferral of a £130m pension debt from the pottery firm.

Mr Hunt said he hoped the collection would not be dispersed.

The museum, which remains open, won the £100,000 Art Fund prize in 2009.

Labour MP Mr Hunt said he was not expecting the government to buy the collection but he hoped minister Ed Vaizey would support a plan where organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Arts Fund and local businesses could put a funding package together.

Waterford Wedgwood Plc went into administration in January last year with a pension fund shortfall.

The museum is linked to the firm by a shared pension fund, although only five members of the pension plan were employees of the museum trust when Wedgwood's firms became insolvent.