Memorial to miners

86 men and boys died at the colliery Credit: Press Association

A memorial to 86 men and boys who lost their lives while working at Allerton Bywater Colliery is being unveiled.

The memorial, designed by Castleford artist Harry Malkin, is being unveiled by Leader of Leeds City Council and Kippax and Methley councillor Keith Wakefield.

A procession will take place from Brigshaw High School through the town, led by Kippax Brass Band, through the village to the former colliery site.

The service, at the entrance to the new millennium community built on the former colliery site, includes a blessing and a reading of the names of the dead, then close with the laying of wreaths.

Mr Malkin's memorial includes four mining-themed panels, one on each side of an imaginary pit cage.

One shows the original Allerton double decked cage with men sat down on the bottom deck and stood stooped in the confined space of the top deck. The second panel has two miners roof bolting, the third larger panel is themed on a powerful Dosco Road Header machine that was used to rip out the coal and stone in order to form new roadways underground. The final scene depicts the Allerton Silkstone NUM Branch members marching through the community displaying their banner.