MINING heritage enthusiasts have found a home for their collection of artefacts.

People can visit the Durham Mining Museum's display at Thornley Community Centre, which has given the museum a room.

The venture opened on Saturday after mining banners were paraded to the centre, in Hartlepool Road, from the Crossways Hotel.

The museum was formed six years ago and, until now, members have exhibited artefacts at shows or venues such as Seaton Holme, in Easington. It also runs a website on the region's collieries, including listing the miners killed in accidents.

To view the website, go to www.dmm.org.uk

Chairman Derrick Lait, of Seaham, said: "It is bringing mining back to Thornley. The first Durham Big Meeting was held in Thornley in September 1867, when 13 lodges got together with a view to raising money to help the locked-out miners in North Yorkshire."

He said the collection would include signs, posters, first aid equipment, lamps and a small truck. He said: "As a second step, we will be putting two or three trucks outside the community centre. If we can raise enough funds and get a grant, we will put under the central display a little tunnel to give the children an idea of what it was like to be down a pit.

"We are trying to bring mining back to the community.

"The idea is that we display our heritage and show future generations what mining was like."

Admission to the exhibition is free.

Published: 04/07/2005