A 200ft-high big wheel has taken its first passengers high above the sights of Trentham Gardens.

The £6 million attraction opened with a firework display last night.

Bosses at Trentham hope the wheel, which will remain in place for 12 months, will boost visitor numbers.

And yesterday they agreed a deal with Stoke City which saw the club become the ride's main sponsor.

The 365-tonne wheel, which can carry up to 336 people in its 42 capsules, has been christened The Potters Wheel.

Staff from the Trentham Estate were the first to try the 13-minute ride, shortly before the wheel opened to the public at 6.15pm.

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Director of the Trentham Estate Mike Herbert said: "We are really pleased with the wheel. It looks fantastic.

"On a clear day I would imagine you could see 25 miles down the Trent Valley.

"I think it would appeal to all ages. It's not a thrill ride, it's an observation ride, so even if you're not a fan of heights, it's not scary.

"It's all about making Trentham a bit more special. Wheels like it have been very popular in other cities in the UK and it will certainly be something a bit different.

"It will attract visitors and it will attract revenue – people coming to use the wheel might use the other facilities.

Earlier this month, The Sentinel reported that 15 staff at Trentham Gardens had been made redundant following a restructuring drive.

The job cuts were blamed on the economic downturn and the fact that some parts of the operation were not making enough money

But Mr Herbert said visitor numbers at the attraction were still healthy.

"It's proving very resilient in the current climate," he said.

"There are so many things to do here that people feel they get value for money.

"People are watching their money closely, but they still want to go out and enjoy themselves. They are just careful how they do it. We are quite please our numbers are continuing to be what we expected."

The wheel will be open from 10am until 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am until 6pm on Sundays. A ride costs £6.50 for adults and £4.50 for children up to 12. Children less than a year old can ride for free, and under-threes for £1.

A family tickets for two adults and two children is £20. There is a 10 per cent discount if you book online.