THE family of a man who died in a mining accident have today honoured a tradition that began half a century ago.

Keith Barraclough, 21, was crushed between two carts at Brussleton Colliery, near West Auckland, County Durham, on April 29, 1958.

A year to the day, his memorial appeared in The Northern Echo, an annual tradition started by his mother, Agnes, which continues today.

Mr Barraclough's sister, Astrid Kaine, 70, said: "My mother used to visit Keith's grave every week. She would not have a wheelchair, so as she was getting older, it would be every other week and then every month.

"But she put something in the paper every year until she died so, in 1993, we took over, as much for her as for us and for Keith.

"We try and put something different in every year -a different verse -but of course we are getting older, too, so I do not know for how long."

The family lived in Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, when Mr Barraclough died.

His father, Thomas, who died in 1984 aged 75, and his brother, John Barraclough, 74, both continued to work at Brussleton after his death.

Mr Barraclough said: "I remember the day of his funeral. It was brilliantly sunny and it was cup final day. It was so quiet at St Helens because so many people worked at the pit there.

"The service was at St Philomena's, where he would have got married later that year if things had worked out different."

Mrs Kaine lives with her brother, John, in Barnard Close, Woodham, Newton Aycliffe, and the pair have a brother, Arnold, 78, who lives in Byerley Park, both County Durham. He also maintains the memorial tradition.

Mrs Kaine said: "Keith never used to like the football. The others went off to the match, but he liked watching the wrestling on the telly on a Saturday afternoon. We would often mess around and he would have me pinned down on the carpet after we had watched it.

"He was 21 when he died and as we have got older he has always stayed the same, and that is how I will always remember him, 21."