A mining memorial sculpture will be erected in Mapplewell in tribute to those who worked in the village's North Gawber Colliery.

 

It came about after residents approached Coun Harry Spence, of the Darton East ward, saying they wanted something to mark the pit site, on Carr Green Lane, which will soon be transformed by a residential development for hundreds of houses.

 

Coun Spence started the project about 15 months ago and said the sculpture will be erected in a landscaped area in front of the Co-operative store, on Blacker Road.

 

"First I got permission from the Co-op because it will be on their land and I was clear about what we wanted when it came to the sculpture itself," said Coun Spence.

 

"What I didn't want was a half circular things or a block of stones, so what I have gone for is an exact replica, scaled down of course, of a pit head gear."

 

The two-metre high sculpture is being designed by Tim Pearson from Melvyn Carr at Ingbirchworth.

 

On it will be two plaques - one as a tribute to all employees who worked in the colliery and the second a memorial to the 19 who died in an explosion in the pit on September 12, 1935.

 

The artwork will cost about £3,000 and Coun Spence wants locals to get involved and have their say at a meeting being held on Wednesday at Staincross WMC at 7pm.

 

He added: "I have asked Tim to stencil a miner on the pit head gear with a pit lamp on and things like that.

 

"We have started a collection with £30 from Darton East members and then we're opening that up to the community to see if they want to contribute."

 

He also wants to find the oldest, able former employee from the colliery to officially open the memorial once it is manufactured.