A VILLAGE'S pit banner is due to make its first appearance at the Durham Miners' Gala in 63 years.
Privately-owned Browney Colliery, near Durham City, closed in 1938 but the lodge banner was paraded at the Big Meeting the following year.
The banner is now in a fragile state and is stored at Beamish Museum but a £4,000 replica has been created by Norfolk artist John Midgley.
"It's lovely, absolutely smashing,'' said local historian John Kitching, founder of the Browney Lodge Banner Action Group, who have been raising money for the replica for more than three years.
The banner features a miner and Britannia on the front and on the back is a scene depicting justice.
The banner is to be put on display at Browney Junior School.
And this Saturday, villagers will parade it through the streets of Durham to the city's Racecourse.
It will be joined by the banner of nearby Brandon and the Esh and Bearpark Colliery band.
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