A pottery firm has been made the subject of an American state's day of celebration.

Residents in Kansas City will stage Wade Ceramics Day for the first time tomorrow to commemorate the works of the Burslem-based collectibles manufacturer.

Kansas mayor Kay Barnes has decided to twin the date with the opening of the company's trade fair.

Martin Cook, Wade marketing director, said America was one of the company's largest markets with brands of collectibles and breakfast sets proving popular.

He said: "Wade's collectibles are particularly popular in America because of the brand's heritage as a traditional UK-based ceramics firm.

"We have a large collector base in America and hold a number of fairs internationally every year, of which Kansas is only one."

Mrs. Barnes will present members of the Wade fair committee with an official proclamation document before the fair later this week.

America is one of Wade Ceramics largest export markets as the company's collectible figures and traditional breakfast sets are very popular in the states with the company selling large amounts of product to distributors there every year.

Wade Ceramics has been producing premium quality ceramic products for over 190 years. The firm is a world leader in markets as diverse as collectible, promotional, distilling and industrial markets.

It has operated under a number of different family members and a whole raft of different names, several of merged at various times to become larger potteries.

In 1999 the firm was the subject of management buyout.

The company is set to produce a brand new nativity set in time for Christmas 2001 made up of six figures.