A CHARITABLE transport group in east Durham is celebrating the mining heritage the area by displaying the banners and operating dates of its collieries on its minibus fleet.

Each vehicle with the Peterlee-based charity East Durham Community Transport has been adorned with the name of a colliery and the dates that it opened and closed - and a pictorial representation of the banner for that colliery.

manager Liam Weatherill said: "We believe that it is very important to remember and celebrate the mining heritage of the area in which we provide our services.

"Many of the people that travel on our vehicles worked in the local pits and they are tremendously proud of their heritage and the colliery villages that they belong to.

He added: "We provide services for many local groups and projects from east Durham and they travel far and wide using vehicles in our fleet.

"This small gesture shows that we are proud to be from east Durham and proud to remember our mining heritage."

We have reflected the names and banners of collieries on each of our ten vehicles and will include more Collieries as the success of our organisation continues and our fleet increases.

We would like to thank the various banner committees of east Durham for their assistance and especially the NUM who have fully supported us".

Ian Brown, one of the charity’s drivers, said: "I worked down Horden pit as an electrician from 1967 to 1969 and returned in 1979 - after leaving the Army - working until 1985.

"I am proud of my mining past as I was to serve my country and now put something back into my local community."

East Durham Community Transport has performed 50,000 passenger journeys in 2009 and has a registered membership of 200 local groups.

For more information contact Liam Weatherill on 0191-5184321 or visit www.edct.co.uk.