RELICS from the Titanic have been unveiled to mark a century of the region's links with the famous liner.

An exhibition about the ship and its Hanley-born captain Edward Smith has gone on show at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, 100 years after the ship sank on its maiden voyage.

And visitors are being invited to vote on who they think was to blame for its demise, with a host of potential suspects pinned up at the city centre museum.

They include, alongside Captain Smith, the ship's manufacturers and those helping to navigate when the ship hit the iceberg.

Artifacts including post cards sent from the ship along with Captain Smith's belongings, including his sextant and telescope are on display.

A number of items have also been loaned to the Bethesda Street attraction by Don Smith – the great nephew of Captain Smith.

The museum's interpretation officer Cathy Shingler believes the notoriety of the Titanic will help draw in hundreds of extra visitors.

She said: "We wanted to put this on to mark the centenary of the Titanic and also because Edward Smith was a local man.

"It's about 17 years since the museum last hosted something to do with the Titanic.

"We had a number of items in our own archives and we are very grateful to Don Smith for what he has allowed us to show."

The museum's 'Titanic Trail' shows visitors what life was like in the early 20th century, including passengers' style of clothes.

The ship sank on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg 375 miles southeast of Nova Scotia as it travelled from Southampton to New York. A total of 1,517 people died in the freezing Atlantic Ocean out of a total of 2,223 on board.

It remains one of the biggest maritime disasters of all time.

Museum visitor Andy Edwards, aged 45, an HGV driver from Stoke, said: "I'm interested in the history of the Titanic and it's good to see this exhibition."

The exhibition – which will run until the end of December – also features historic footage compiled by acclaimed local documentary maker Ray Johnson.

Handouts detailing the history of the doomed ship and the era are also available throughout the museum.