A FORMER pit village's bid to restore part of its mining heritage has taken a major step forward.

The Bowburn Banner Group was formally created at a well-attended public meeting in the village's community hall this week.

The group aims to restore an existing banner, made in 1959, which features aerial views of the village colliery and a miners' convalescent home, which has been kept in union offices in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

It also hopes to commission a new one that will feature the design of the banner produced in 1919 depicting the nurse Edith Cavell. The other side of the banner will feature a brand-new design.

The cost of the project is expected to be about £27,000, and the group will be seeking funding from the National Lottery and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, as well as holding its own events.

The village's Durham City councillor, Mike Syer, who is the new group's secretary, said the project had attracted interest from people as far afield as Tow Law.

"We had a respectable turn-out for the meeting. We agreed the constitution, and our aims and objectives, and appointed nine trustees and a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer.

"The news about the banner is very positive and I'm confident we'll get it back within a fortnight.

"We want to get it to the conservator as soon as possible so that we'll know how much it will cost to repair. It is a specialist task.

"Once we know the cost -we know how much it will be for the new banner - we can make funding applications.''

In addition, the group confirmed details of a brass band fund-raising concert in Bowburn Community Centre, featuring the Reg Vardy (formerly Ever Ready Band) on Friday, February 25, at 7pm.

Tickets cost £3 and are available from Mr Syer on 0191-377 1491 or the community centre on 0191-377 0571.