A TOWN'S mining heritage has been commemorated in an impressive mural which was unveiled yesterday.

The mural has pride of place in the Dean Bank Literary Institute, in Ferryhill, which is undergoing an extensive programme of renovation.

As part of the refurbishment project, trustees commissioned the town's Friendship With Art group to produce the mural.

The institute was partly established by miners from the Dean and Chapter Colliery to host social activities.

The group received a grant from the Durham County Foundation and set to work on producing the 12ft by 8ft mural.

A great deal of research was done on the history of the mine, the men who worked there and their families, before seven members of the group started work.

It took the group a year to complete and the finished product has already drawn lavish praise.

The work includes a seam strata along the bottom which incorporates the names of all the miners who lost their lives at the colliery during the 60 years it was open.

Former miners joined civic dignitaries at the unveiling of the mural in the institute yesterday.