Celebrate mining heritage at Old King Coal festival

Theregion’sminingheritageis being celebrated in a five-day event at Beamish Museum.

Old King Coal runs until Sunday, marking the start of the Great North Festival of Transport.

The event will also see the unveiling of a memorial to victimsoftheBrancepethColliery disaster.

During Old King Coal, visitors will be able to join a miners’ banner parade from The Town to The Pit Village on Saturday and Sunday at 1.30pm.

People can design their own flag and help make a banner, see the Just One Spark explosion demonstration, enjoy folkandbrassbandmusicand meet pit ponies .