A FAMILY-OWNED mining firm has secured a contract to carry out maintenance on a Scottish surface coal mine.

Banks Mining has been appointed by Mines Restoration Limited (MRL) to work at the Mainshill Surface Mine, in South Lanarkshire.

Bosses say the site has not been mined since former operators Scottish Coal went into administration last year.

A seven-strong Banks team will work at the mine for about eight weeks.

Banks Mining is part of the Banks Group, which has its headquarters near Durham City.

It has operated and restored more than 100 surface mines across Scotland and the north of England over the last 35 years.

It operates the Rusha surface mine in, West Lothian.

MRL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust, an independent and charitable body established to support restoring open cast sites across Scotland.

Jim Donnelly, Banks’ divisional director, said: “Issues surrounding the maintenance of former surface mine sites across Scotland have come to real prominence in recent months, and the work we're undertaking at Mainshill will ensure that the integrity of the site is maintained.”