Today (9 July) is the 132nd Durham Miners’ Gala and mining communities will be parading banners and bands to Durham. Pelton Fell's banner won't be among them. It is currently in Beamish Museum and too fragile to go on display.

Thanks to National Lottery players, the Pelton Fell Community Partnership has been awarded £9,800 to create a replica banner and explore the village’s mining heritage.

Pelton Fell grew up around its colliery, which opened in 1835, but knowledge of this key part of the village’s history has diminished since it closed in 1964. Reviving that knowledge and telling the story of the miners and their families is a key focus for the project.

The project will also mark the 150th anniversary of the 1866 Pelton Fell colliery disaster in which 24 people lost their lives.

Members from across the community will help to research the colliery’s history, build an exhibition and design the banner.

Colin Reynolds, Chair of the Pelton Fell Community Partnership, said: "The Partnership is delighted with this award from HLF which will fulfil a longstanding dream of many of the older residents and also ensure that the heritage of the village can be retained and continued into the future.”

The new banner will be paraded at next year’s Durham Miner’s Gala following a blessing at Durham Cathedral, and will be put on permanent display at the Brockwell Centre.