Trustees of the Wedgwood Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, have called in administrators after being saddled with a multi-million pound pension deficit.

The museum - dedicated to the 250-year-old historic pottery group - will continue to operate despite the appointment of Bob Young and Steve Currie of Begbies Traynor as joint administrators. Wedgwood Museum Trust said that it had taken the decision in order to allow the Wedgwood Group Pension Plan to receive support from the Pension Protection Fund.

The trust, which was forced to take on the deficit - said to be £134m - after Waterford Wedgwood collapsed last year, is deemed liable for the shortfall as five employees were part of the 7,000-member plan. George Stonier, chair of Wedgwood Museum Trust, said: "The museum's trustees and their advisors are now working hard to find a solution to this extremely unfortunate situation.

"The trustees are extremely grateful for the continued support of the museum's staff and its many friends, and remain optimistic that the collections will continue to be available to the public in our museum in Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent."