Hundreds of workers at Royal Doulton's factories in Staffordshire are to lose their jobs.

The well-known ceramics company confirmed on Thursday that 367 workers will be made redundant.

A further 43 people who are in temporary employment at Royal Doulton will also be laid off.

The news is another bitter blow for the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent.

In common with many other businesses, Royal Doulton said the redundancies were in the wake of the terror attacks in America on 11 September.

'Sales hit'

A spokesman for the company said: "We were concerned about overall sales at the beginning of the year and we went on to a four-day working week rather than make people redundant.

"At the time we assumed we would return to normality in the lead-up to Christmas - then the events of 11 September happened.

"The north American market is very important to us and we have offices in New York and Canada but since September, sales have been hit."

Royal Doulton employs 1,800 people in Staffordshire and almost 5,000 people worldwide.

Workers who are to lose their jobs will be told individually next week but will continue to work until January.