Workers at the factory were devastated by the news

Stoke-on-Trent's elected mayor is urging the government to intervene following the announcement that 1,000 jobs will be cut at Wedgwood with the closure of two of its factories in the city.

Mike Wolfe said he would be pressing the government to set up a special department in the city to encourage regeneration.

Waterford Wedgwood is transferring the production of its lower priced Johnson Brothers-branded earthenware to factories in the Far East where it says its costs will be much lower.

As a result, it will be closing its Eagle factory in Hanley and Alexandra site in Tunstall.

The message to the government is they can't go on letting Stoke-on-Trent lose jobs without bringing their jobs into the area Stoke-on-Trent mayor Mike Wolfe

Mr Wolfe said despite the job cuts the pottery industry was still very strong.

"This is a very serious blow but it is not a blow that is going to knock us down.

"What we have to recognise is that the pottery industry is still very strong and Wedgwood is still investing in Barlaston.

"The message to the government is they can't go on letting Stoke-on-Trent lose jobs without bringing their jobs into the area."

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The company says its Wedgwood brand, which includes earthenware and fine bone china, will not be affected and production of earthenware will be moved to another factory in Barlaston.

Tony O'Reilly Jnr, chief executive of Wedgwood and Johnson Brothers, said the company had to take action to preserve the brand.

"The decision was taken to ensure the long-term viability of the brand."

But Mark Fisher, the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, said he was "horrified and angered" by the news.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "Unlike other job losses in recent years, it appears Wedgwood have not made a single effort to try and save these jobs for north Staffordshire.

"They have not come to the city council or the government or the European Parliament to at least explore the possibility that any of these job losses could have been avoided or even kept in this country."