A NEW women’s group which will be taking part in this year’s Durham Miners’ Gala is appealing for help in finding historical banners.

The group is making two banners, including a patchwork one and a silk one to take to the Gala, and is planning to unveil them at an event at an event at the Miners’ Hall, in Redhills, Durham on July 11.

They are hoping to display old banners alongside them and are trying to find ones, which could relate to women in politics, trade unions and community groups.

Around a dozen old banners have been found so far.

Lynn Gibson, who has been leading the search, said: “The response we have received so far is amazing, everyone we have spoken to with historic banners are really enthusiastic about their banners being seen in public again. Some have been under beds for decades.”

The Mining Museum in Spennymoor Town Hall are supporting the search and have loaned a recently donated Durham Women Against Pit Closures banner from 1984 for the event.