Trio of South Shields colliery banners united to march in this year's Durham Miners' Gala

Members of the Harton and Westoe Miners Welfare and Banner Group are set to hit the streets of Durham on Saturday, July 9, with mementos of the town’s St Hilda, Harton and Westoe collieries.

The Big Meeting is returning for the first time since 2019, after the coronavirus forced it into a two-year hiatus.

And as well as honouring the memory of former Welfare chairman John Watson, the occasion will also mark the lives of the town’s former pitmen.

“It’s something we’ve tried to do before and it was always John Watson’s dream to have the three banners out, but we have never really had the resources to do it,” said South Tyneside councillor Ernest Gibson.

"Previously they have been in different states of repair and it’s been about getting enough volunteers to do it – you need six for each banner – and some of our members are over 70, we’ve even got an 86-year-old carrying it this year.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch, who became one of the faces of last month’s rail strikes, is due to be among the speakers at the event, which sees trade union groups from across the country converge on Durham for speeches and marches.

However, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is not expected to attend.

Organisers have dedicated this year’s Miners Gala to all key workers, especially those who performed vital roles during the coronavirus pandemic.