A CELEBRATION of miners' lodge banners will be a new feature for a Heritage Open Days event, to be staged at the weekend.

Enthusiasts have gathered a large collection of banners from across the former Durham coalfield.

The display of colourful colliery standards - reflecting the industrial heritage of the county - will be on show at Bowburn Community Centre, in Bowburn, near Durham, on Saturday.

Organisers say it will include some rarely seen examples of banners from the Twenties and Thirties, as well as examples from later in the 20th Century, plus other more recent replicas and community banners.

The exhibition will include banners from Bearpark, Black Prince, near Tow Law, Blackhall, Boldon, Bowburn, Byermoor, Craghead, Deaf Hill, East Hetton, Fenhall Drift, near Lanchester, Greenside, Houghton, Medomsley, Morrison, Annfield Plain, Murton, New Herrington, the National Union of Mineworkers Durham area, Randolph, near Evenwood, Spennymoor, West Thornley, near Tow Law, and Wingate.

Other banners are expected to be added to the display by the weekend.

Banner enthusiasts and former pitmen will be present throughout the day to explain the significance of the treasured mementoes of the mining industry.

They will also discuss with visitors the history of the Durham Miners' Gala and of the county's mining communities.

The display can be viewed from 10am to 4pm, and admission is free.

Further information is available from Mike Syer, secretary of the Bowburn Banner Group, on 0191-377 1491.