YOUNGSTERS proudly paid tribute to their new school’s mining heritage with the unveiling of a memorial.

The Bates Colliery site, in Blyth, is now home to Morpeth Road Primary School after a £5.4m development.

And staff and pupils at the school wanted to celebrate its mining history and create a permanent reminder of days-gone-by.

So, they invited former workers of the pit to a special ceremony, which saw the unveiling of a plaque and wheel.

The 10 retired miners were then treated to a tour of the building and lunch, while sharing stories of their time down the pit.

Mike Bell, headteacher at Morpeth Road Primary School, said: “The former Bates men were there to unveil a plaque to celebrate the use of the site from pit to school.

“A winding wheel has been erected as a permanent memorial to the men of Blyth that worked underground at the Bates Colliery Site.

“The former miners were given a tour of the new school to inspect working conditions for their co-workers, the pupils. The report was very favourable and the pitmen were very impressed by the school, students and the work the children were undertaking.

“Several wished they had the opportunities that the new building offers and enquired if it was too late for them to come back as students.

“The ex-pitmen had lunch with the children and were highly complimentary about the lunch provided by Mrs Cole and her team, as well as the manners and friendliness of the students.

“It was also a day to meet old friends and share stories of working underground.

“All left happy with the promise to return and pass on some of their experiences as miners to the new work force on site.”

Former miner John Douds created a model of the old pit to surprise his former workmates.

The model, which is now proudly displayed in the school, was correct in every detail, and even his workmates could not find fault with the replica of the old Bates pit.

“The students are fascinated by the model and it attracts their attention, leading to millions of questions about the mines and how they were worked,” added Mr Bell.