A STANDING ovation was given to the makers of a feature-length video about Eston's ironstone heritage at the town's institute on Tuesday.

Eston-born Craig Hornby, who spent four years making the film, called for a monument to be erected dedicated to the men who made Cleveland's steel industry of today.

"I would like to see a monument in Eston," he told the 300-strong audience.

"There is nothing in Middlesbrough (dedicated to the miners). It's almost as if the powers-that-be decided to bury it all. They prefer to concentrate on Captain Cook."

The audience applauded when Mr Hornby, 37, said: "The real history of Middlesbrough is working-class heritage. It's never been put on film."

Cameraman Asaf Sadiq, a media production graduate of Teesside University, called for a minute's silence in memory of nearly 400 men who died extracting ironstone from the Eston hills between 1850 and 1949.

Among the audience were many relatives of miners. Wendy Pell, 71, of Fernhill Road, Eston, whose grandfather worked as a blacksmith in the mine, said: "The film makes you realise how miserable the work was. No-one has bothered about its history.

"The film will help to put Eston on the map."

Michael Parker, a hardware shop owner, who lives next to the site of the former Eston hospital, said: "The film is wonderful. It should bring Eston people to realise what an important place it is in the steel industry's history."

Mr Hornby, who lives at Saltburn, has compiled a "memorial" feature listing the deaths. They included several children run over by the stone-carrying tubs.

The film now starts a tour of East Cleveland villages to be followed by visits to other North-East towns. Bookings can be made through Mr Hornby on 01287 203165.