A MEMORIAL to honour those who died in the quest for coal was unveiled at the weekend.

The Bowburn Mining Memorial includes the names of the 52 men and boys who were killed and fatally injured at Bowburn Colliery, County Durham.

It also pays tribute to the four Bowburn men who died in colliery accidents after transferring to other pits, after Bowburn's closure in 1967.

Fishburn Band played hymns and a number of miners' lodge banners were displayed, as well as Bowburn's Centenary Banner and Children's Banner.

The service, including three local churches, was in Bowburn Community Centre, where the memorial was erected, and featured carols from Fishburn Band.

A list of the men named on the memorial has being posted on the Bowburn Interchange website at www.interchange. bowburn.ne