A FORMER pitman has appealed for help in finding his prized helmet - inadvertently left outside a pub after the Durham Miners’ Gala at the weekend.

Geoff Poulter , 74, said the helmet he had worn since going down the Bolsover pit, in Derbyshire, as a 15-year-old and which was adorned with stickers from the Miners’ Strike 30 years ago was of great sentimental value to him.

The veteran of the infamous confrontation with police at the Battle of Orgreave said he had left his helmet on a bin in the yard of the Swan and Three Cygnet pub in Durham at about 3.30pm on Saturday.

He discovered his loss as he boarded his bus home. It could not wait for him to go back to look for it.

Mr Poulter said: “The helmet is of great sentimental value to me. It is something I have brought to me to the Durham Miners’ Gala for umpteen years.

“The helmet becomes a talking point wherever I go with people asking to be photographed with it and asking what the stickers stand for.

“Among the stickers are Coal not Dole, Support the Miners, which I put on during the Miners’ Strike, as well as sticker of the Bolsover pithead and castle.

“It even has a Support the Army sticker on it which someone put on two years ago.”

Mr Poulter, who served as secretary of Nottinghamshire branch of the National Miners’ Union for many years, said he had returned to work after the strike with stickers still on his helmet – to the disapproval of management.

He was one of the first union officials “sacked by Thatcher” for his activities.

Mr Poulter, of Skegness, Lincolnshire, said: “Whoever has found the helmet may not realise its significance. It is irreplaceable and I would dearly like to get it back.”

Anyone with information can contact The Northern Echo on 0191-3844600.