A SCULPTURE dedicated to County Durham's coalfield has taken pride of place in the centre of a former pit village.

The six-ton "roundy'' - the miners' term for a large lump of coal - was sculpted out of concrete by Colin Rose, who teaches at Sunderland University.

The roundy, based on casts of strata of coal at Morpeth in Northumberland, was lowered by crane to its resting place in the centre of Ushaw Moor, near Durham City.

The artwork, which cost £10,000 and is sited on land at Broom Lane, is the village's tribute to its mining past.

A spokeswoman for Durham City Arts, which supported the project, said: "The roundy is an initiative of local community group Ushaw Moor First.

"The group was set up to campaign for improvements to the fabric of the former pit village whose colliery closed in 1974.

"The aim of the mining memorial is to establish a landmark site in the heart of the village and commemorate the mining past.

"In artist Colin Rose the group found a sculptor who could appreciate and represent their views.''

Funding came from Durham City Arts, Durham's Single Regeneration Budget, The Northern Rock Foundation, Brandon & Byshottles Parish Council, Greggs Trust, Durham Rural Community Council Small Projects Fund, County Durham Environmental Trust and The Durham Aged Mineworkers Association.

Today, the official dedication will take place starting at 11am at Ushaw Moor Catholic Club from where the Ushaw Moor Colliery Banner will be piped to the site of the sculpture.

Representatives of local churches will bless the roundy and at 11.20am a bugler will sound the Last Post for those killed in the pits and former miners who have died after leaving the industry.

Durham's Labour MP Gerry Steinberg will give a short address