THE puzzle of a pocket watch presented to a colliery worker more than 80 years ago has been solved.

The watch, which was given to Ferryhill Town Council, is inscribed with the name Newark D Hume and was presented to him by officials and workmen of the Dean and Chapter Colliery in 1919.

But officials knew nothing more about the pitman and launched an appeal in The Northern Echo for information.

As a result, the council was contacted by Edna Robinson, a relative of Mr Hume, who was able to resolve the mystery.

Newark Davidson Hume was born in January 1878. He worked at Dean and Chapter Colliery until 1919, when he moved to Mainsforth Colliery.

He worked there as an overman until his retirement in the 1930s, subsequently living in Dean Road, Ferryhill.

Town council executive officer Jamie Corrigan said: "He must have been very well thought of, because it was unusual to have a watch from the workers and the management.

"You either got one from one or the other, but not both, so he must have been a very popular man."

A display case has been made by Endeavour Workshops, whose members all have disabilities, which contains the watch, a brief history and old photographs donated by Mrs Robinson.