'Hooray for Will and Kate': Royal baby memorabilia rushed into production

Pottery firms have already started rushing commemorative Royal baby mugs into production - just hours after the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy was announced.

By this morning several businesses around the Potteries, in Staffordshire, had already begun working on special commemorative designs.

Renowned pottery firm Emma Bridgewater today unveiled a mug simply declaring "A royal baby in 2013" which will hit shelves next year priced £19.95. Another bears the legend 'Hooray for Will and Kate'.

Company owner Emma Bridgewater said: "We have been quite quick off the mark with this one - I'm not sure if we could actually be the first.

"I'm sure it will be followed by another mug bearing the royal baby's name next year."

Managing director Matthew Rice added: "Hooray for the Royal couple and best of luck for a bouncing baby prince or princess in 2013.

"This is just what the country needs."

The firm sold £3.2m worth of commemorative ceramic ware for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and £1m worth for the wedding of the duke and duchess.

Designer Jan Constantine, based in Betley, Staffs., also hopes to mirror the success of her Royal Wedding memorabilia, which included cake stands, mugs and cushions.

She said: "We have no designs drawn up yet because we didn't think it would happen so quickly, but we do have some things in the pipeline.

"We are thinking along the lines of mugs, baby blankets and small cushions to mark this momentous occasion.

"Similar designs we did for the Royal Wedding and the Queen's Jubilee sold amazingly well, so we are hoping these will too."