FORMER factory workers have praised a museum exhibition in Ludlow which celebrates the legacy left by an important local figure.

An exhibit at the Buttercross museum pays homage to the journey of the E Walters Trouser Factory, once the largest employer in Ludlow. This was established by Ed Walters in 1957 and went on to shape Ludlow's identity for decades, a spokesperson for the museum has said.

Now, former factory workers have appeared on the radio discussing the lasting impact of this work.

Speaking to BBC Radio Shropshire, Dave Murrell said: "When I started in 1968 it was the place to work. Prospects were good for everybody.

Fran Harris, another former worker for E Walters, said that the town relied on the factory for employment, and many of Ludlow's women went to work there. She added: "Without Ed Walters a lot of us would have nothing."

She also praised the quality of the trousers and said her husband still owned a pair.

In an exhibition at the museum that runs until March, visitors have the chance to explore artefacts, photographs and stories that chronicle the factory's history.

Ludlow is described as the former trouser capital of Europe, with much of this being attributed to the former factory which operated from 1957 until it closed in 1997.

At its peak, the company produced millions of pairs of trousers a year.

It also opened factories across the world, including Morocco, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania.

Friends of Ludlow Museum hosted a talk titled Ludlow: the Trouser Capital of Europe on February 19. This was presented by Richard Harding and Derek Beattie.

A spokesperson for Ludlow Museum said: "The exhibit will explore the important company and highlight the town's manufacturing heritage. We hope residents will reminisce and remember those at the factory.

"Ludlow Town Council, which owns and runs the museum, hopes to engage the community."

The exhibition opened on Thursday, February 8, and is welcoming visitors from 10am to 4pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays.

Admission is £1.20 and children under 16 have free entry.