WEDGWOOD is to make a £10,000 black basalt vase to commemorate the London 2012 Olympics.

The luxury vase will be created as a range-topping piece after luxury goods firm WWRD was selected to make ranges of products to celebrate the games in two years.

There will be six prestige products, made either at the company's pottery factory in Barlaston or its crystal plant in Waterford, Ireland.

They include a limited range of black Jasperware medallions and a Olympian figurine.

The ranges will be complemented with other lower-priced products made overseas.

Anthony Jones, chief financial officer at WWRD, said the announcement came after nine months of negotiation.

Mr Jones said: "Going forward as a new business it is vital that we win business like this.

"I was personally involved in the talks, because they wanted to be confident as a new business that we could deliver.

"We've been able to demonstrate that we have the range of products, as well as the capacity, to make English pottery and Irish-made crystal products."

The firm is one of about 50 expected to be chosen to create items under a licence designed to raise around £600 million toward the £2 billion cost of staging the Games. Profits from each product sold will go to WWRD, although a royalty would be paid on to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.