A SIX-YEAR fundraising drive to remember the miners who lost their lives in four County Durham collieries neared completion today (Tuesday, September 29).

Amid warm September sunshine, a life-size sculpture of a miner and his family was lowered onto a sandstone plinth in front of interested villagers in Esh Winning, near Durham.

It was the end of a 9,000-mile journey for the black granite monument, sourced from China, transported via ship to Humberside, before completing the journey to the Deerness Valley, in County Durham, by low loader early today.

But it was also the culmination of the lengthy campaign by the Esh Winning Miners’ Memorial group to raise £65,000 for the symbolic statue.

It is considered a fitting tribute to the men and boys who perished in accidents at the village colliery and at pits in neighbouring communities of Waterhouses, Hedley Hill and East Hedleyhope.

Forty pitmen, aged between 12 and 68, died during the 102-year lifespan of Esh Winning Colliery alone.

Having raised funds for the preservation of the Esh Winning miners’ lodge banner and a replica, the group turned its attention on a memorial.

Group treasurer Richard Thompson Minnis said: “I think we were one of the only former pit villages not to have some sort of memorial, so this became the next project.”

Six designs were drawn up by Norman Emery, Durham Cathedral’s archaeologist in residence, and, handily for the campaign group, also a resident of Esh Winning.

A family group of a miner with his wife and daughter was selected and a specialist monument making company, Odlings, in Hull, was approached to produce the statue.

As it was to be produced from black granite, Odlings sub-contracted to specialists in China.

Already dubbed ‘Our Family’, its arrival in Esh Winning was warmly welcomed by villagers today.

Jean Chaplow, a county councillor, who chairs the memorial group, said: “I can’t say how thrilled we are to finally set eyes on the ‘Family’.

“We’ve had great expectations and we haven’t been let down.

“It’s been just about six years of pies, peas and bingo, as I put it, but with help from our many supporters, we’ve finally got there.”

Having taken its place on a plinth in front of Woodland Road Communal Hall, it will remain under wraps until the official opening ceremony, on Saturday October 31, at 11am.