1,000 Royal Doulton jobs have been lost since the end of 2002

The closure of the Nile Street factory in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, was announced almost exactly a year ago.

Another 500 posts were lost when Doulton's other two ceramics plants in the city - at Beswick and Baddeley Green - closed at the end of 2002.

Irish rival Waterford Wedgwood completed a �39.9m takeover of the company in February.

The deal was completed with the aim of heading off fierce competition from cheap imported ceramics and glassware.

Production of the Doulton brand in the UK continues at the Wedgwood factory in Barlaston and at a new smaller factory attached to the Royal Doulton visitor centre at Etruria.