TWO plaques were unveiled on a high street yesterday, marking the completion of a long campaign to commemorate a community's contribution to Britain's wealth.

For years, Eston-born Ann Higgins has called for recognition of the Teesside town's role in the discovery and exploitation of ironstone, used to make rail tracks and bridges.

Two giant ironstone pillars, each two metre-high and weighing 2.5 tonnes, were earlier this year returned to Eston High Street.

They had been removed from outside a former hospital when that building was demolished decades ago, and were then placed outside what are now the headquarter offices of Redcar and Cleveland Council, in Fabian Road.

They have now been taken the mile-and-a-half back to the old hospital site, in the High Street, with Coun Mrs Higgins completing the project by unveiling two commemorative plaques.

The plaques, sponsored by the council's highways partner, Alfred McAlpine, record tributes to those who worked in the Eston ironstone mine between 1850 and 1949.

Coun Higgins said: "It's a proud tribute to all who worked and died in the Eston Mine. We are grateful to the council and all the companies involved for supporting the pillars' rightful and long awaited return to Eston."

One of the plaques, at the path leading to Persimmon Homes' Rothwell Mews development, records the thoughts of an Eston miner.

It reads: "It's a hard life, sheer slavery, puts a crust of bread in the bairn's mouth. I wonder if anyone will remember our sweat and toil when the ironstone story is told."