Historic Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm Moorcroft has now restarted production after it was saved from liquidation. 

Will Moorcroft, whose grandfather William Moorcroft founded the company, bought the firm in June with 34 people now working at the Sandbach Road factory. 

Some workers came back at the end of July and the rest returned to work three weeks ago. Now the kilns are set to be fired up once again. 

Moorcroft went into liquidation in April, resulting in the loss of 57 jobs. 

Will said: "It was exciting and overwhelming before - but it's like that on steroids now. It's absolutely amazing to be back. 

Will Moorcroft bought the historic pottery firm in June. (Nub News)

"Fortunately we are in the position where the experience is already here.

"So looking forward we just need to explore the collector base we have now and look for new products, lines and designs to take the company into a new era. 

"This will be while retaining the prestige, the skilled labour and design that we are synonymous with."

For many of the Moorcoft workers, the period after the liquidation announcement felt more than simply losing a job, it was like losing a family member, paintress Hayley Moore explained.

She has worked for Moorcroft for 38 years, starting when she was 16 years old. 

Hayley said: "We were just so happy to come back because when it went into liquidation it really was such a shock. 

"It was horrible and devastating - it was like we had lost a family member.

The Moorcroft factory on Sandbach Road has now restarted production. (Nub News)

"We have all known each other for so many years; we've seen babies, weddings, deaths but not that many people elsewhere work in one place for such a long time, so this isn't just a job. 

"We set up a group chat just to support each other because we've never been made redundant before so we had no idea what we were doing. 

"It's nice to have it back in the family because it is back to what I remember from when I first started here. It really does feel like it has gone full circle."

Jenny Sanders, has been working as a tube liner at Moorcroft for the last 15 years and has now moved from the Nile Street factory in Burslem after it was shut following the rescue deal. 

Jenny has worked at Moorcroft for 15 years. (Nub News)

She said: "This factory is Iconic and it is really good to be back. I had to look for another job but there was always that thought in the background that we knew this business was viable and that people wanted this ware. 

"So there was always that little spark of hope that we would come back.

"It's so good that it is in the family as well and we need to just take hold of this opportunity and push it more." 

The reopening of the factory follows the news that Wedgwood will begin a 90-day production pause later this month due to "low consumer demand".

Stoke-on-Trent North MP David Williams visited the Moorcroft factory today and said it was a "wonderful and "quite emotional" experience but admitted there was still "more work to be done" on bringing down energy prices for pottery firms.

There are now 34 workers employed at Moorcroft. (Nub News)

David said: "You've probably got 1000 years of skills and talents amongst the whole of the team here. So to have that skilled workforce back in place, making the best products in the world, it's just a happy day.

"Moorcroft is such an iconic name. When you look around the city, the name Moorcroft is on our brown signs - it's so important to the fabric of our area.

"Of course, I know, along with my colleagues, who are constantly meeting ministers, that this industry is gas intensive.

"So there's more work to be done. There's been some good movements there's more to do and I'm committed to making sure I work alongside my colleagues to speak to the right people, speak to the new Secretary of State, and make the case for more support."