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 year after.

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 absolutely smashing," said historian John Kitching, founder of the Browney Lodge Banner Action Group. "John has obviously put a lot of work into it.''

The banner features a miner and Britannia on the front and on the back is a scene depicting justice.

A miner is holding a scroll that reads: "Mines owned by the nation for the nation, loyalty, endeavour and good citizenship."

The action group has been raising money for the replica for more than three years.

Funding came in local firms and individuals, Brandon and Byshottles Parish Council, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the NUM and two gala favourites, the former MP Tony Benn and Bolsover MP Dennis Skinner.

The banner is to be put on display at Browney Junior School, and on Saturday, July 13, villagers will parade it through the streets of Durham to the city's Racecourse.